


Silence Is Golden

by mphs95



Series: The Bones Collection [2]
Category: Bones (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-04-24 20:45:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 61,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4934650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mphs95/pseuds/mphs95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My take on the aftermath of Season 8. Can Booth and the Squints defeat Christopher Pelant? Can Bones and Booth find their way back to each other before it's too late?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

_Booth sat by the bedside, slowing suffocating by the quiet of the room. He took her hand and squeezed it before putting it to his lips with a sweet kiss. Taking a few moments to pull himself together, he got up and slowly walked out of the room. His feet led him to a door, which he opened to the greeted by the people he called family._

_Hodgins and Angela were sitting on the right with Cam and Arastoo next to them._

_Wendell, Fisher, and Finn stopped talking and turned to him. Nearby Clark stood up and stared at the agent._

_On the other side of the room, Max and Russ stood at attention before moving quickly over to where Booth was standing._

_Seeing Booth's silence and pain, Max took the initiative. "Booth, what happened?"_

_Booth shed a few tears, hitched his breath, and exhaled. "She's gone". Booth moved slowly to a chair, sat with a look of defeat, and put his head in his hands. After a moment, he looked back up. "Damn you, Pelant"_

* * *

 

It has been three weeks since the engagement was broken, but to Booth, it felt like three years.

She said she had understood. She said nothing had changed, but he knew better. There were no overt gestures, but it was the small things that foretold the truth.

Before, all class work and projects from her interns stayed at the Jeffersonian with the occasional work at home. Now, she brought it all home with her every night there wasn't a case.

Somehow Booth always went to bed before her and always woke up next to a cold space where before his Bones would always sleep, with the blankets she stole bunched up with her and her grumbling when the alarm went off.

His mornings consisted of cold showers and silent breakfasts with only the sounds of Christine and/or the keys of her laptop as she worked on her latest novel.

Day by day, he felt like he was losing her body and soul. He also knew that if he relieved the pain he caused by telling Bones the truth, he would lose her to death, along with his children next. What scenario was the cruelest he couldn't tell.

A tear came down Booth's face as he felt Bones get up out of bed and walk to the bathroom. He looked at the clock and noted the time….5:00. Bones hated mornings. The realization that she would rather rise at a time she hated to be awake rather than sleep near him was devastating.

The few times he tried to initiate lovemaking she always came back with an excuse; a headache, deadlines, grading projects, or other reasons to avoid intimacy. That's when he missed her the most. He didn't care about the sex…..he just missed her. Their bodies could always communicate their feelings when one or the other's voice could not.

He was a man alone. As he held his St. Christopher's medal to his heart he began to wonder if God listened to his prayers every night…..about his safety, his life, his children…..and his Bones. He said the prayer he had said every morning for the last few weeks.

_God, please keep me safe as I do my duty_

_Keep Parker and Christine safe from the evil in this world_

_Please keep Bones safe until Pelant is destroyed._

_Please don't let Bones stop loving me._

As he finished his prayers, the alarm went off. Sighing at the prospect of another day in torment, he swung his legs to the side of the bed. "Time to start another day" he grumbled before walking to the bathroom.

* * *

A short time later, Booth came down the stairs with Christine. When his daughter smiled at him, it lit up the room and he responded back in kind. He hugged her feeling her love flowing through him.  _I hope I never disappoint you my Princess._

When he heard the clatter of computer keys, a wave of sadness came through before he put a smile on his face for the woman who appeared before him at the center island with her laptop in front of her. This woman held his heart and soul in her hands, but hers was in pain right now, that he knew. The worst was he knew he was the cause but didn't know how to fix it. So he did what he knew how to do, try to act normally.

"Good morning, Bones. I was just going to make Christine's breakfast and feed her.  Can I make you something?"

Bones turned, pushing down her pain with a forced smile of her own, turned to her mate. "No thank you. I am only having coffee." Suddenly she turned to her only light right now and waves her hand. "Hi Honey…..look…dancing phalanges!"

Booth felt the sting, but forced it down. "Say, I was thinking….what about if we called Max and asked him to watch Christine one night this week."

He was greeted with two blue pools of pain as Bones looked up. "Why?"

Suddenly feeling very small, Booth hesitated for a second before responding. "I thought maybe we could do dinner. We've been so busy these last few weeks and we haven't had much time to talk. I've missed talking squint talk with you."

He saw a quick spark in her eyes and got his hopes up before being crushed by the clouds that took over them.

"I'm sorry Booth. This week I have to complete the evaluations for the interns and I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't start working on them as soon as possible to ensure they are not tardy or incomplete."

He swallowed the rejection, feeling the flame all the way to his stomach. Before he could respond, her phone rang.

"Brennan."

Followed by his phone "Booth."

"….okay text me the location."

"….we will be there as soon as we drop of Christine at daycare."

"….we are on our way."

Both hung up simultaneously. Brennan looked up from her phone. "I need to complete getting ready. Can you finish feeding Christine and get her ready to leave?"

Grateful for the communication, Booth jumped in quickly. "Of course, Bones. We will just wait for you in the truck when we are all set."

He went to touch her hand, but she had already maneuvered out of the way towards the stairs. Defeated with tears in his eyes, he turned to his daughter, who was smiling. Her smile made him smile, proud that he had proof of his love for Bones staring at him with identical blue eyes.

Unbeknownst to him, Brennan turned after walking away to watch her mate talk to their daughter. He may have rejected her, but he will always be a wonderful father. The ache in her heart grew too hot, she turned away to finish getting ready for her day.

* * *

 

Dr. Camille Saroyan was one to mind her own business.

Her personal view was people could do what they wanted to do within reason and all she asked in return was to have her privacy respected….at least she did before starting work at the Jeffersonian.

Over the years, she became part of a family that shared their lives, good and bad. Love flourished within these walls. Some was bittersweet, like Dr Lance Sweets and Daisy Wick. Others were an example of second chances, such as Dr. Jack Hodgins and Angela Montenegro, and some were of fate, as with her and Arastoo Vaziri, and then there was the love that combined all three, Dr. Temperance Brennan and FBI Special Agent in Charge Seeley Booth.

Never did she feel jealous of Dr. Brennan after her relationship with Seeley ended. They were meant to be friends and it was better that way. From their "relationship" she gained her best friend in the world. Now her best friend and a woman she considered a good friend as well as colleague were both in pain from their broken engagement.

Of course they didn't say anything of the sort, but the ones who loved them the most could tell there was a distance between them. Of course they had solved cases together in the last few weeks, but Booth's visits to the lab lessened as Dr. Brennan's time in Limbo had increased.

As she weighed the heart of the patient she was working on, she pondered further _. Booth accepting a proposal of marriage from his Bones, then changing his mind?_  The Seeley Booth she knew for the last twenty years had always wanted marriage, a home with the white picket fence, and a family inside. Being with Dr. Brennan and having Christine and Parker was his dream come true. Everyone who came in contact with their partnership knew that fate brought them together and knew how much Booth wanted to marry Temperance. However, he loved her enough to accept her views on marriage and wanted to be with her no matter what.

Dr. Saroyan put aside the heart, recorded her measurements and weighed the brain. She saw the total weight, but didn't move the brain as she was consumed with one thought.

Seeley Booth would never hurt Temperance Brennan without a good reason. What she saw was a man with torment in his eyes and a woman drowning in hurt. As she continued to think more, she stopped at a thought. Before she could ponder further, she was distracted by a voice.

"Dr Saroyan?"

Cam turned to see Finn Abernathy looking at her as to ask a question. "Yes, Mr. Abernathy"

"Sorry to make a mess of your thoughts, but Dr. Brennan wanted to me to check on how long it would be until she could have the skull to examine."

"Of course. I am sorry. Here you go. Just needs to be cleaned."

Finn took the skull, but didn't leave yet. "Ma'am, if I may speak plainly?"

"Of course"

"You looked like your bee hive was full of angry bees. Is there anything I can do to help, Ma'am?

Cam was confused until she figured out what Finn was getting at, and then smiled at the polite young man _. I'm glad Michelle found herself a good man like Finn Abernath_ y. "No Finn, but thank you for your concern"

Finn tipped his hat. "You're welcome, Ma'am". He turned and walked out.

Cam followed his path to the platform where he handed the skull to Dr. Brennan, where she gestured and he left a moment later to follow her directions. She continued to watch Dr. Brennan. To the outside eye, she looked very dedicated to her work at the moment, but Cam saw her slumped shoulders and her lack of bounce that she always had with a new set of remains. She turned to remove her gloves and wash her hands. That done, she went and sat down at her desk and stared off into thought.

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this shit if it's the last thing I do"


	2. Cam Helps Brennan

           "Agent Booth, is there anything else you need from me?"

            Seeing her supervisor not paying attention, Agent Perotta inhaled for a second, but managed to contain her frustration _. 'I've darkened my hair slightly and wore perfume that has brought men to their knees in front of me and he STILL doesn't notice. What does that geek of his have that I don't?'_

            After waiting another few seconds, Perotta tried again a little louder. "Agent Booth?"

            Booth looked up in bewilderment. "I'm sorry, Agent Perotta. What can I do for you?"

            "I wanted to know if there was anything else you need? I want to be available for any assistance that you may require." She bent over slightly in her chair as to itch her leg, coincidentally showing a small amount of cleavage.

            "No, Agent Perotta. I'm all set thank you." Booth said as he noticed the agent's actions _. God can she more obvious? Bones doesn't feel the need to advertise what she has_ ….. _which is the best_.

            Perotta got up to leave. Booth in his misery did not notice the frustration on her face. As she walked out, she thought to herself, ' _I better step up my game. It's obvious he and his partner are having issues and this is my chance. He needs a woman who is not socially retarded and saddling him with a baby.'_

            Booth turned back to his desk to complete paperwork…..or try to. After ten minutes, he threw his pen down in frustration. All he could think about was the ever growing divide between him and Bones. He remembered advice Sweets gave him after Christine was born.

_"If you don't deal with communication issues right away, they can fester and seriously damage a relationship."_

            He felt like he was going to explode if he didn't get his feelings out, but he couldn't tell anyone. Looking at his index cards, an idea came to mind. He opened a drawer, grabbed a notebook, and began to write. ' _If I can't talk to Bones, at least I can write down how I feel.'_

* * *

 

            Brennan was in her office staring at her paperwork. After a moment, she sighed in frustration when she heard a knock. Looking up, she saw her supervisor. "Cam, any update on the tox screen from the remains?"

            Cam closed the door and walked up to the desk. "Can we talk?"

            "Sure." Brennan pointed to her couch.

            Both ladies sat down. Cam clasped her hands together and took a breath. "Doctor Brennan….Temperance….I want to talk to you about Seeley." The clouds that covered Brennan's countenance did not go unnoticed by Cam.

            "Dr. Saroyan, my relationship with Agent Booth is personal and not the business of the Jeffersonian or you."

            Cam knew she had to voice this no matter what Brennan's mood. "Please give me five minutes to say what I need to say, and then I will never bring it up again."

            Feeling a migraine coming on, Brennan massaged her temples. She didn't want to talk about Booth, but knew the quicker Cam said what she wanted, the quicker her headache would go away. "Fine, Cam. I know you. You are like a dog with a hide."

            Cam smiled for a moment. "That's dog without a bone, and yes, you're right I am." She took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I've noticed a distance lately between you and Seeley for the last few weeks. Both of you say you are fine, but it seems otherwise. Do you want to talk about it?"

            Brennan turned to the woman who had grown to be a friend the seven years she had worked with her. Feelings she didn't feel able to talk about to anyone, including Angela, were beginning to boil like a pressure cooker.

_'Maybe I should speak first.'_  Cam thought as she saw the storm of emotions in her eyes. "Dr. Brennan….I've known Seeley for over two decades. I've known you not as long, but long enough to get to know you almost as well."

            Seeing that Brennan was not speaking, Cam continued. "Seeley Booth has always dreamed of finding the right woman to settle down with….to marry and have a family with. Me excluded, I've seen the twits he's dated, including Baghdad Barbie."

            Brennan couldn't help but laugh. Encouraged, she continued. "He was so excited to marry you. He called me soon after you told me, sounding like a hyped up little kid."

            Brennan's mood shifted. Cam, seeing the tension mount, hurried to make her point. "My point is him telling you he didn't think marrying you was a good idea after accepting his proposal….that's just bullshit!"

            Brennan's eyes opened wide hearing the expletive. Before she could respond, Cam carried on. "I know him. He's wanted to marry you for as long as I can remember. Something is not right."

            "Of course he decided he didn't want to marry me. He's entitled to change his mind."

            Frustrated, the pathologist slipped. "BULLSHIT, TEMPERANCE!"

            Realizing where she was, Cam looked out the window before looking at the woman in front of her. Seeing she had Brennan's complete attention, she carried on. "That's crap. I know he wants to marry you. I know you don't believe it, but my gut says he didn't want to break it off voluntarily. There is no way he would accept, and then just  _change his mind_. No, not him."

            Keeping her emotions in check, Brennan stared right at her supervisor and friend. "Apparently he did, Dr Saroyan. This is none of your business."

            Cam knew she was getting to her and knew what she had to do. "Yes it is, Dr. Brennan. Because when I see two people with a bond as strong as yours at odds over something I know each of you want it's not right. It's especially true when they are two people who I depend on to help me find the truth when the victim cannot."

            Fired up, Cam stood. "I'll be damned if I will let you two fools ruin the best thing that has happened to either one of you. Put your big girl panties on Dr Brennan and use that big brain that God or whoever blessed you with to get to the truth!"

            "I don't see how my panties have anything….."

            "It means grow up. Look past your own pain. Think about Christine. You owe it to her to find out the truth. You are all about truth Dr. Brennan. Put your money where your mouth is."

            Cam walked out of the office before she could get a response. She walked down the hall to Angela's office and walked in seeing her co-conspirator in front of the Angelatron.

            Angela turned to the noise she heard. "Did you get through?" She got out weakly. She was holding her stomach after being ill most of the day. "I've been supportive and putting in my two cents, but I can't seem to get far."

            "God I hope so. Now….go on home, Angela. I can see you turning an interesting shade of green." Before she could interrupt, Cam stopped her at the pass. "If I have any updates, you will be the first one I call. I can't do this alone, you know. Go home…..I need you well"

            Feeling dizzy, Angela sat down. "Okay, I will get Hodgins to take me home. Damn food poisoning."

            At Cam's questioning look, she clarified. "I made some homemade salsa last night with the tomatoes I canned last week and had them with some late night nachos. Hodgins was sleeping. I guess they are not agreeing with me."

            "Are you having any abdominal cramping?"

            "A little with the nausea." Suddenly holding her stomach, she ran to her private bathroom, where loud vomiting could be heard.

            From the bathroom, Cam heard Angela.  _"Okay I am soooo going home."_

            Satisfied, Cam left her office and headed back to hers. Stopping before taking the platform, she turned back to Brennan's office. She did not move from the couch they sat at earlier. Hoping it was a good sign, Cam went back to work. As much as she felt for Temperance Brennan, the remains in her lab took precedence, especially since she was losing two of her people in the next five minutes as she noticed Hodgins escorting a ghostly white Angela out of the Medico-Legal lab.

* * *

            Booth and Brennan sat at the diner eating their lunch. He looked and saw his plate full of fries and felt sadness wave over him before he looked up and saw Bones looking at him.

            "Booth, were you paying attention to what I was saying?"

            Feeling ashamed but grateful for the notice, he coughed. "I'm sorry Bones, what did you say?"

            She signed in frustration. "I said there were signs of remodeling on both forearms and one of her legs. I need you to pay attention"

            Swallowing his retort, Booth looked at her. "I apologize Bones, I have things on my mind."

            "Fine, Booth. As I was saying, she has these injuries. Did she have any past history with the criminal justice system?"

            Booth hesitated, dreading what he was about to say. "No, but she was in foster care" Seeing Bones' eyes glass over, he moved to take her hand in comfort, only to feel the sting of rejection when she moved it from his grasp. "I'm here if you need me, Bones"

            Protecting herself from pain, Bones looked up. "I'm fine, Booth. We just need to get the truth." Swallowing her pain, she continued. "So what's next?"

            Seeing that his mate was sticking to work matters, he swallowed his misery as well. "I'm bringing in her last foster parents for questioning, along with waiting for the medical records we subpoenaed. Can you break free to assist?"

            Brennan froze. She didn't know if she could maintain professionalism in the same room with Booth, even an interrogation. "Sweets would be a better person to use, Booth. His soft science could get you better results, especially if they are lying. If you have no one else, I will come. I need to finish looking at my remains."

            Booth got the message, but it hurt. "Okay"

            Brennan saw the misery in his eyes. While part of her wanted to love it away, the other part couldn't get past her own anger and frustration. Pushing her emotions down, she started to gather her message bag. "I have to get back to the lab, Booth. Is there anything else?"

            Surprised, Booth looked up. "No, Bones. Wait a minute and I will walk you back"

            "No Booth, I'm all right. When I find something I will let you know."

            Before he could reply, Brennan made tracks out of the diner. Frustrated, he threw down money for the bill and walked out. He saw Bones walking back towards the Jeffersonian and wanted desperately to catch up with her, pull her into the nearest hidden spot, tell her the truth, and possess her being with all the love he had for her to ease her hurt. Knowing the consequences, he merely watched her walk away.

            "Damn you, Pelant. I will find you and make you suffer with every fiber of my being. Just killing you is too good for you" Feeling her pain, he wiped a tear from his eye from where he stood. "Bones I love you more than you could know"

            Up ahead, Bones could feel Booth watching her from a couple of blocks back.  _Why doesn't he chase me? Why is he doing this to me….to us?_  Wiping her own tear away, she continued to walk to the Jeffersonian in misery.

* * *

 

            Christopher Pelant was watching the scene on his monitor. Other monitors were watching the Booth-Brennan house, the Hoover, and the Jeffersonian. He had it all under surveillance…..except for the inside of the buildings. He still hasn't found a way to get past their new security measures, but that was okay. What Agent Booth didn't know won't hurt him.

            He typed on his keyboard slowly. Lately, his left hand could not always process what he needed for the keyboard. Sometimes he had problems with remembering what computer sequences to use for this surveillance, at times taking him twice as long. He also had a hard time concentrating on the surveillance of all the monitors at once or tasks at hand. All of this really pissed him off, but he could compensate. He learned to sleep only 3 to 4 hours a night and made detailed lists of everything. Hubris didn't tell him he was the greatest mind around…..he knew he was.

            "I've outwitted the FBI, Senate, and the federal government. Break up the Dream Team, and then start eliminating them. The first two….or three should be tonight." he said as he observed a vehicle leaving the Jeffersonian.

* * *

 

            Cam was working on the microscope with her back to the door when she heard something she never thought she would hear.

            "I don't know how."

            Cam turned around and saw Temperance's eyes begin to fill with tears. "I look at him and my heart hurts and I feel like I am suffocating. I just want to hide away from everything and not feel….anything. How the hell do I use my God damn brain to fix…..this?"

            Shocked at her vernacular, Cam stood for a moment. Then she realized what she did, something no one, not even Angela could do during these last few weeks….made Temperance Brennan acknowledge her feelings of abandonment. The thought she had earlier before being interrupted by Finn came back to her. Always one to trust her gut, she acted.

            Walking over to her colleague, Cam texted a quick message, dropped her phone in her desk drawer, and then took her hand. "Come with me Doctor Brennan."

            "I need to get my phone—"

            "Leave it here." She said before calling a number on her lab phone and waited for an answer. "Arastoo? That thing we talked about? I am taking Doctor Brennan there now. We can't have our phones there but we will be there if you need to find us….okay…we're fine….  Love you too, bye."

            Cam hung up. "Where we are going we can't have our phones. I've texted Booth to let him know where we will be for an emergency. Come on, I'm driving"

            "Cam I am perfectly cap—"

            "I am driving. Don't make me pull rank or call Angela."

            "Fine." Brennan said as the two women left the Medico-Legal lab.

            Arastoo watched his girlfriend and his mentor leave. "I hope you can help, Camille."


	3. Illnesses & Daydreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For my fellow Bones fans there is good, old fashioned smut, ergo this chapter is rated M. For those not appreciative of it, may want to skip through part of the chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

            Hodgins and Angela were in the car, currently in a traffic jam in Dupont Circle from a car accident.

            "Come on…..we've been stuck like this for over an hour! We're not even half way home yet." He looked over to his wife, who was holding her stomach and was pale as a ghost. "Babe, do you want me to call the doctor?"

            Suddenly Angela opened the car door and began retching. Hodgins tried to get out of his seat belt to help her but she was already on her way back. Finding wipes in the car door, she took one and wiped her mouth off, then sipped from her water bottle. "Hodgins, I….will be…..fine. It's just a 24 hour bug."

            "Had to be from the tomatoes you canned last week."

            Sick and annoyed, Angela turned to her husband. "I've been canning for years. It's what I did when I was not with my dad on the road or painting. I've done it the same way I've always done it and never had a problem…..ugh."

            Hodgins pulled his phone out and hit speed dial. "Hey Max, it's Hodgins. I need a favor. Can you pick up Michael Vincent from daycare? I know you will have Christine, too, but Angela is sicker than a dog and I don't just want to dump her and go back to work."

            "I don't need you to stay home with me."

            Ignoring her, Hodgins nodded and finished his conversation. "I will come and get him later tonight from Doctor B's. Thanks, Max. Later" He hung up and made another call. "Hey can I speak to Doctor Brennan please?  She’s not there….what about Doctor Saroyan?  Not her either? Okay, I will try Agent Booth. Thanks."

            "Bren and Cam are gone?" Angela asked in her nauseated haze.  ‘ _I was supposed to be there, dammit. Cam was my wingwoman. Please kick ass, Cam_.’

            "Yep. Weird" Hodgins replied before hitting speed dial again. " _Booth"_

            "Booth, it's Hodgins."

            "Got anything on the case?" He liked Hodgins but wanted him to get to the point. The last thing he wanted to do was listen to the bug guy when he went off on a tangent.

            "No, um I just wanted to let you know that Max is picking up Michael from daycare. Do you care if he hangs out with you and Doctor B for a while tonight?"

            Momentarily forgetting his problems, he concentrated on the conversation at hand while leaning back in his chair. "Sure, is something wrong?"

            "Yeah, Angela is really sick so I am going to stay with her for a while. I tried to call Doctor B but she and Doctor Saroyan left and didn't tell anyone where they were going."

            Booth sat up in alarm. "Why? There weren't called on a case. I would have been called."

            Seeing Angela get paler, Hodgins wrapped up his phone call. "Don't know, dude. Gotta go, my wife looks like shit. Thanks again…bye."

            He looked at his wife again with worry before noticing that the cars were moving ahead at a snail's pace. "Thank God." he muttered.

* * *

            At the Hoover, Booth listed to the dial tone for a minute before ending the call. He then felt the buzz of a text. Checking to see it, he saw it was from Cam.

_Doctor Brennan and I are out. Not sure when coming home tonight. Any questions or emergency, go find Arastoo at the Jeffersonian. He is not carrying his cell phone._

            "Great…" He sat and thought about Bones. Going off with Cam wasn't a big deal to him, but the fact no one knew where except for her boyfriend did. Pelant had his senses on full alert and when he didn't know where his loved ones were it made him nervous.

            "She's with Cam, they'll be okay. I just have to learn to relax."

            But his affirmation didn't help. He knew he was overprotective, so even though it went against everything he believed in he put it out of his mind, or tried before hearing a knock at the door.

            He looked up and saw Agent Perotta with two cups of coffee. He noticed that she changed her hair color recently, but for the first time noticed it was almost as dark as Bones' hair. As she walked towards him, he got a whiff of her perfume and almost gagged. Temperance's was much more understated, and it made him hot every time he smelled it before he would rip off whatever she was wearing and pound her. Thinking of the last time this happened sent him off far away.

            Agent Perotta saw him smile, ignoring his glazed over eyes and decided it was for her. She brought over a cup of coffee, deciding his look of what looked to be disguised disgust was whatever he was thinking about before she came in, crediting herself for the change. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in, Agent Booth. I wanted to talk to you about Christopher Pelant."

            Hearing his name brought him back from his last, very delicious encounter with Bones. Being brought back to reality darkened his countenance. Hearing Pelant's name made his blood boil and his eyes darken to black. "Do you have an update on his whereabouts?"

            "Well, no—"

            Feeling a need to get rid of his frustration, he walked to his table, and grabbed three binders before dropping them in Perotta's lap. "There's all you need to know about him.  Make sure they go back on the table when you are done"

            Booth walked to the elevator and pushed a button. Five minutes later, the elevator opened to the garage. He briskly walked around the construction to his temporary spot where his SUV was parked. He was thankful he had tinted windows and for the first time very grateful that his spot was far away from the entrance in an area without people.

            Pulling a swatch of lace material from a hidden spot under his seat, he quickly unzipped his pants and fisted his hand tightly around his member. The combination of Bones and Pelant turned his strokes angry as he remembered the last time he and Brennan were together.

***/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/***

_Booth was in his man cave. Christine was down for her afternoon nap and Bones was upstairs working on her novel. He was watching a football game on ESPN Classic when he smelled her. Turning around, he saw Brennan in nothing but his Eagles jersey, two inch stilettos, and perfume….that perfume. The one that made him absolutely nuts._

_Seeing him zone out, Brennan walked towards her mate with a Cheshire grin on her face. Stopping at the couch, she bent over with her arms folded across the arm near where Booth was. Giving him a generous view of her breasts from inside his jersey, she sweetly asked, "May I get you anything?"_

_Booth continued to stare at his partner's ample chest as he calmly turned off the game with the remote. He got up slowly and turned to her, who also stood. "Yeah there is."_

_Before she could respond, he grabbed her and kissed her hard before picking her up and pushing her into the nearest wall. Putting her down, he nibbled her neck with one hand while the other went under the shirt. He quickly moved part of the jersey aside to take her breast into his mouth. He sucked her right nipple with desperation while cupping her other one._

_"God I love your tits!" he mumbled._

_His other hand found his target as his fingers felt the intense heat from her core. His arousal increasing exponentially, he went to work on her folds through her panties. He heard a moan and looked to see Brennan with her head against the wall, flushed._

_"Look at me."_

_Bones turned to him. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes turned to a deep blue that he recognized as unadulterated lust. Feeling her wetness already, he moved aside the panties and put two fingers inside her. He watched her reaction as her eyes went in the back of her head._

_"Oh my God, Booth. Harder!"_

_"Now you believe in God" He said but obeyed her command._

_As she deepened her claws in his back and bit on his shoulder, he quickened his pace and felt her walls clench him before she came like a waterfall in his hand. Hard as a rock, he stopped his machinations long enough to find her final barrier and then ripped the blue lace off her. She knew what blue on her did to him._

_Together, they quickly unzipped his pants and pushed them down. Quickly he lifted her, making her flush against the wall to steady her. Booth then used his body to spread her legs apart further before filling her. When he felt she had accommodated him, he started to move at a steady but quick pace._

_"Harder, Booth. More." Bones moaned while moving her hands to cup his toned ass where she also dug in her heels._

_Any pain Booth felt from her nails was overcome by the sensation of her squeezing the ever living life out of his cock. "God Bones…..soooo tight. You feel fucking awesome!"_

_Dueling sensations with her breasts and her walls encasing her partner's cock threatened to overtake her. "Booth, I am almost there."_

_Hearing those words made Booth move faster to the point where he was pounding her with much force while alternating his attentions with each breast and by her sternum. The friction only made the sensations sweeter for both as each felt their peak rise at the same time before their walls broke simultaneously. Both stayed where they were, too spent to move. Booth recovered to look at themselves._

_Brennan had the jersey hiked up past her breasts. Her torn panties hung from her left ankle as she continued to hold herself against him with her legs. Booth looked and saw his pants down to his ankles. He looked back at his partner with a wide grin._

_"For a mother, you are so hot."_

_She started to move her legs and Booth helped her on her feet. She leaned against the wall as her body continued to come down from her high. "Booth, those were fifty dollar panties you ripped!"_

_"Shouldn't have worn them under the jersey with that perfume." Seeing Bones' petulant face with a flush and swollen lips from where he ravaged them, he laughed. "I am so going to buy you more of those things. I have to stock up because more are getting ripped if you keep this up!"_

_At that moment, Christine's cries came through on the baby monitor. Back to reality, Booth pulled up his pants as Bones made herself as presentable as she could before attending to their daughter_

**_*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*_ **

            "Oh my God!" Booth felt himself explode in his hand as his fantasy came to an end. After a moment to recover, he grabbed several of the wipes he kept for Christine in the back seat and wiped his hands, groin, and then face. Ensuring there was no mess other than his dilated pupils, he got out of his SUV and calmly walked to the elevator.

            As he pushed the button, he hoped Bones would call him soon. Self-gratifying himself at work made him remember why he was in this predicament in the first place.

            "You're going down Pelant." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for now, folks...keep reading...also please review so I know I am doing a good job. If you want a response, please log in.
> 
> Till next chapter.


	4. Brainstorm

            About an hour later, Cam and Brennan were sitting in an empty classroom with one office desk and one chair nearby. Each had a salad and bottled water in front of them. After finishing their meals, Cam got up and threw the salad containers in the garbage. She then moved to sit in front of her colleague, waiting for her when she was ready.

            "I don't know how to do this, Cam."

            Cam reached out and took her hand. "Doctor Brennan, how do you start reviewing each case?”

            Brennan looked at her like she was crazy. "By examining the bones after they are cleaned."

            "Well then, that's what we do here."

            Brennan gave her another strange look. "Cam, there are no remains or skeletons—"

            "Doctor Brennan! What I mean is look at the skeleton of the case. Pick each bone apart one by one. Take all emotion out of the equation."

            Cam grabbed an object from her bag and then walked to the dry erase board. "Look at only the facts Doctor Brennan and examine that day like you would your bones. That, Temperance, is how you will solve the mystery of Seeley and find your way back to each other."

            Brennan looked at her with doubt before examining her surroundings. "Cam, I have to ask, why are we here….in the basement of St. George's University Medical Center? I think this is part of their bomb shelter."

            "You are correct. Doctor Banno told me about this room. It used to be used as a skills lab but now it's storage."

            "Angela and Hodgins' Doctor Banno?"

            "Yes, Sherry and I went to Med school together. Good friend of mine."

            "Why couldn't we bring our cell phones? Why did you turn off the GPS in your car?" Brennan sat for a moment. "Pelant, isn't it? You're afraid he is still watching us."

            "I am, plus I wanted somewhere where we could talk in private and not be interrupted."

            "I see. Thank you.

            Cam gave her the dry erase marker. "Okay, Doctor Brennan. Go through your day. Use the board."

            Brennan walked to the board and began writing. "Okay….I went grocery shopping...I came home." At Cam's silent encouragement, she continued. "I told Booth they were out of jerky and he insinuated that I was full of mud."

            "That's full of shit, but please continue."

            "He was opening a gift from his mother and stepfather…a very sexist hula lamp. We then talked about marriage. He said….he said…. _'Marriage is starting to look really good on you'_.”

            She took a moment before continuing. "We talked about how I wouldn't propose to him, and then he asked how I could catch the bouquet before throwing an orange at me."

            Not seeing Cam's "huh" face, Brennan continued to remember as she wrote on the board. "We got to the crime scene and we went back and forth about the fact I have issues with catching except the bouquet at his mother's wedding."

            Cam's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but kept quiet as she listened.

            "At the lab, we has a disagreement after he figured out Pelant was targeting FBI agents. I…I told him he was not allowed to die and he said he understood. After he left, I realized that I wanted to marry him, so I went out and got the jerky I lied about and I called him to meet with me"

            She inhaled. "I gave him the jerky, told him I wanted him to be happy, and how one of us could die first...then I asked him to marry me. After I promised that I didn't want to get married just because of Pelant….he smiled and said _'yes'_ before he kissed me." she croaked out as she began to cry.

            Cam didn't want to, but knew she had to keep her going. "What about after that, Doctor Brennan? I know you told us and I know you met up with Seeley when we figured out Sweets was the target, but what happened after that?"

            Brennan took a drink from her water bottle to collect her thoughts before writing again. "We were with Christine at the park. He stated he thought I would want an African ceremony with giraffes and I told him I understood how much an archaic Catholic ceremony meant to him. His phone rang and he said it was his mother."

            "What did he do after that?"

            Brennan thought for a minute. "He got up and walked away to talk on the phone."

            "Has he done that before?"

            Brennan was silent for a moment. "No, no he never has. Of course he only started talking to her a few months ago, but no, he never left the room for a conversation with her."

            "What happened next?"

            "I looked up and he finished his call.  He had a strange look on his face, but I waved to him. He was quiet after we got home and throughout dinner. He insisted on giving Christine her bath and wanted to put her to bed. I let him because it seemed really important to him. He came down the stairs and I showed him the bridal magazine Angela gave me.  Then he told me…"

            Brennan inhaled sharply to maintain her emotional equilibrium. "He told me…. _'I don't think we should do it.''_

            Brennan was silent for a minute, and then suddenly knocked her water bottle across the room in rage, shocking Cam. "Why, Cam….why would he talk about wanting to get married for almost a decade, then when I finally realize I favor his point of view, he says  _'I don't think we should do it!'_  Why!?"

            Cam knew she wasn't much into personal contact, but her instincts told her it was necessary. She got up and hugged Brennan who looked close to breaking down. Before either could respond, a loud bang was heard as the women turned around to see Booth running into the room.

            "Seeley, what—"

            "Not now, Cam. Bones, Angela is here in Emergency. We have to go."

            "Booth, what is going on?" Brennan asked in shock. "She had mild food poisoning when she left today."

            Booth saw that there was writing on the board, seeing his name and Bones, but didn't have time to wonder why.  "Bones, I don't know. All I know is I got a frantic phone call from Hodgins. He had just put Angela to bed when she started having difficulty breathing. Max has Christine and Michael. It's bad Bones. Really bad. Come on."

            Forgetting all the broken vows the last few weeks, Brennan took his hand as they, followed by a frantic Cam ran out of the room.

 


	5. The Vigil

            Four hours later, the Jeffersonian lab and family sat in the waiting room with Hodgins surrounded by Brennan and Booth. Cam and Arastoo were nearby with the other interns and Sweets wanting to give Dr. Hodgins his privacy.

            Hodgins was shaking. "My God, how long does this testing take?"

            "It takes at least three to four hours. They want to be sure before putting her through the process of gastric purging, enemas, and an antitoxin." Brennan drank from her cold coffee, not noticing the temperature change and continued. "Then they have to ascertain the nerve damage from the ptosis on her—"

            "He gets it, Bones" Booth interrupted as he looked at the scientist sitting across from him pale as a ghost with red rimmed eyes staring at the floor. "Believe me, he gets it"

            Brennan looked up from Booth's gentle rebuke. Seeing his eyes pointing towards Hodgins, she understood and maintained her silence.

            "Hodgins, do you know when Angela's father is arriving?" Booth asked

            "Billy said he is trying to get a flight out, but there is heavy fog in Copenhagen. He tried to get a car, but there were no more to rent and he doesn't speak Danish to get directions. I'm keeping him updated as we know anything. God I have to find someone to watch Michael Vincent."

            Booth turned to him. "Hodgins, we can take him for as long as you need us to. He will be with Max when we are not there."

            "Booth I don't want to be a burden"

            "It's not Jack. It's what friends are for. Concentrate on Angela right now. She's going to be fine. Come on, man she's the daughter of rock royalty. If she has half as many balls as Billy Gibbons, she's going to be okay."

            Booth didn't realize the significance of how he addressed Hodgins, but Brennan did. She smiled in spite of herself.

            Hodgins laughed, letting Booth know that his intention worked. "Thanks, Dude."

            Before Booth could respond, the ER doors opened and Doctor McIntyre came out. "Jack Hodgins?"

            Hodgins stood up and almost ran to the doctor, almost running over the interns in the process. Booth and Brennan stood up in attention. "Yes, yes, how's Angela?"

            "Well, we were right. The testing I conducted after you told me about what she had eaten the night before confirmed my suspicions."

            "What happened to my wife, Doctor?"

            The doctor looked him in the eye. "Dr. Hodgins, your wife is suffering from botulism poisoning. Getting her here when you did and telling me about the tomatoes she ate saved her life. If you would have waited one more hour, chances are she wouldn't be here now."

            Hodgins swayed for a moment, supported by a fast acting Wendell who moved right behind him. "C-Can I see her?"

            "She has just been given the antitoxin and she's sleeping, but you can see her. Follow me." He turned to the others. "Family only for now."

            When Hodgins left, everyone sat in the ER in shock. Unconsciously, Brennan leaned into Booth for support, forgetting about the recent upheaval in their lives. "Booth, what if Angela dies? What happens to Hodgins…what happens to Michael?"

            Booth's heart swelled at the body contact, but he knew that she needed reassurance now more than he needed her. Tentatively he put his arm around her and was silently grateful when she didn't push him away. "Nothing is going to happen to Angela, Bones. She's tough and has people who love her. God is looking out for her."

            "There is no spiritual being that helped Angela. It was all Hod—" Suddenly Brennan looked up as a thought came to her. "The tomatoes! Booth, I have the same tomatoes in our refrigerator. You ate them two days ago!"

            Frantic, she ran to the Nurses station where Doctor McIntyre returned. "Doctor, my mate ate the same tomatoes two days previously, but he isn't sick. How do you know Angela didn't get sick somewhere else?"

            "All of Ms. Hodgins' other food sources were not from home and there are no botulism outbreaks reported. If others in your home report eating from the same source, we need to examine the individuals. Bring him here."

            She turned around, seeing that Booth had joined her. "This isn't necessary, you guys I feel fine. Besides, I have to brief Agents Shaw and Sparling when they get here."

            "That's fine Agent Booth. You have thirty seconds to text a message then we are going back." Knowing he was beat, Booth did a quick text before the doctor pointed towards the door. "Now come with me, Agent Booth"

            The men, followed by Brennan, disappeared through the doors. Wendell watched the scene, and then turned to the rest of the group assembled. "Pelant. When is all this going to end?"

            "When the son of a bitch is dead"

            All turn to see Agent Genevieve Shaw. She looked at all the interns, lingering for a moment on Wendell before joining the group. "Where is Agent Booth?" She suddenly felt a vibration from her phone and looked. "Oh, he's in the back."

            She went up to the desk and announced herself. After a moment, she returned to the group. "I have to wait a few minutes." Seeing Sweets' expectant look, Shaw directed her gaze at him. "Doctor Sweets, she is still at the house helping with a canvas."

            Sweets suddenly blushed. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

            Shaw rolled her eyes at him. "Sure, Doctor Sweets, whatever."

            Trying not to appear too excited, Wendell replied. "Doctor B is having him examined to rule out botulism since he ate the same stuff Angela did. Did Pelant leave any clues at their house?"

            "No trace of outside entry. No way to connect Pelant"

            "We all know he did it, Genny—Agent Shaw."

            "I agree, but we can't do anything without proof. We all need to work together as a team. Agent Booth taught me that."

            Her phone rang. "Agent Shaw….hello Dr. Brennan. I'm in the lobby, what do you need from me? Okay I will be ready."

            She ended the call and turned around. "We're gonna get him everyone." she said as a nurse opened the ER doors. At the nurse's motion to follow, Agent Shaw followed her to the back.

            When she was out of sight, all the interns turned to Wendell. "I'm in Big Brothers Big Sisters and I hang out with her son Danny." His phone beeped. "Saved by the beep"

            Wendell looked at his phone. "Hodgins said Angela is resting now and everyone else should go. I have to run to their house and bring stuff for Michael to Dr. Brennan."

            Cam stood up. "Okay everyone it has been a long and insane day. I want you all to go home and get some sleep. I need you all tomorrow morning." Seeing everyone's hesitance, she continued. "Now. I will stay and keep everyone posted."

            Everyone turned to get their things and walked out. Arastoo saw Cam sit on a nearby couch and start staring at the door. Waving goodbye to the others, he sat next to her.

            Startled, she turned to her boyfriend. "Arastoo, we all have a long day tomorrow. Go home and get some sleep."

            "I'll be fine, Cam. I'm much more worried about you."

            "I'm fine, Arastoo." She said with a small crack to her voice.

            Arastoo took her hand. "Ms. Montenegro, Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, Dr. Hodgins…they're not just your colleagues….they're your friends. I know you are scared. If you're staying then I'm staying. That's what you do when you love someone, Camille."

            He put his arm around her followed by gently moving her head to his shoulder with his other hand. "You can act all _'pissed and focused head of the lab'_ with the other scientists but not with me."

            A tear fell down Cam's face as she sat with Arastoo in the lobby. "You're right…I'm mad as hell….but I'm also scared."

* * *

             A few hours later, Brennan came into Angela's room in the ER. Seeing both Hodgins and Angela sleeping, she turned to leave, but was interrupted by an awakening Hodgins.

            "Come on in, Dr. B"

            "I'm sorry, Hodgins, I can come back."

            "Get in here so you can see Ange, Dr Brennan." When she got closer, Hodgins asked her "How's Booth? I heard they are checking him out, too."

            Resigned and emotionally spent, she sat in a nearby chair. "Currently he is having a nerve conduction test and a brain scan and won't be back for a while. Agent Shaw is waiting for Booth to return. Mr. Bray is also there because he dropped off items for Michael, however it was just too quiet, so I left to take a walk around the hospital. Any updates from Agent Sparling?"

            "She was here a while ago. She did an extensive canvas but turned up nothing….big surprise." Trying to maintain control, he continued to talk. "Did you know that she and Agent Shaw graduated from the FBI Academy together? She's also staying with her because her building's plumbing went…Sweets told me last week. Did you also know…"

            Brennan was scared, but knew Hodgins had to be terrified if he was babbling about an acquaintance while his wife was in the hospital. Feeling a sense of dread, she looked to Angela. "Jack…how is she?"

            Hodgins exhaled before looking to his wife. "She has ptosis with both eyes, which the doctor says will eventually clear up. She is breathing on her own, but her right side may have nerve damage. It's really weak…"

            "Her right side? Oh no….."

            Hodgins grabbed Angela's hand while she was sleeping. "We won't know the extent of the damage until she wakes up. Any therapy will take weeks, if not months. The doctors said she may or may not gain full function of her right side, but she's going to be okay."

            Brennan saw through his forced smile as she heard his words and understood. Both knew how much Angela's art meant to her. Physically, one can survive nerve damage, but emotionally….a different matter. Both knew that this is due to a menace they are all in danger from….and a danger to. Her thoughts were interrupted by Hodgins.

            "Booth's going to be okay you know. That asshole Pelant didn't win today."

            Conflicting emotions threatened to drown her but she compartmentalized everything. "How do you know that?"

            Hodgins smiled. "A hunch."

            "A hunch can't help to know if Booth will need a spinal tap. We need the results before we can say he will be healthy" She looked at her watch. "He should be back in a while from his tests. I'm going to go. Keep me in the circle about Angela."

            Hodgins laughed for the first time since he got to Angela's side. "That's  _keep me in the loop_ , and I will do that. Thanks for coming, Temperance."

            "You're welcome, Jack"

            Brennan maintained composure as she walked out of the room.

* * *

            After a walk in the hospital and its beautiful gardens, she went out to the lobby to update Cam and Arastoo who were sleeping in a chair. After sending them home with a promise to keep them updated, she returned to the ER. By now stress and fatigue were taking over her as she noted the time on a nearby clock….2:00 am.

            When she entered one of the hallways, she saw the doctor walking to Booth's room. "Dr. McIntyre, do we have the results back?"

            "Yes, we do. Come in and we can talk."

            Both entered the room. She saw Booth in bed talking to Wendell and Agent Shaw. Moreover, she saw the nervousness in his eyes. Any anger she felt at the moment was consumed by fear of what could happen to him as she found a stool. "Does he have botulism?" 


	6. A Shifting of the Tides

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the reviews. Please keep them up so I know I am doing a good job. For writers, it's a must. They have been encouraging.
> 
> Warning: Hot Sex alert. For those that this activity will offend their sensitivities, you will want to skip the second half of this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but sometimes think I should

            Four hours later, the Jeffersonian lab and family sat in the waiting room with Hodgins surrounded by Brennan and Booth. Cam and Arastoo were nearby with the other interns and Sweets wanting to give Dr. Hodgins his privacy.

            Hodgins was shaking. "My God, how long does this testing take?"

            "It takes at least three to four hours. They want to be sure before putting her through the process of gastric purging, enemas, and an antitoxin." Brennan drank from her cold coffee, not noticing the temperature change and continued. "Then they have to ascertain the nerve damage from the ptosis on her—"

            "He gets it, Bones" Booth interrupted as he looked at the scientist sitting across from him pale as a ghost with red rimmed eyes staring at the floor. "Believe me, he gets it"

            Brennan looked up from Booth's gentle rebuke. Seeing his eyes pointing towards Hodgins, she understood and maintained her silence.

            "Hodgins, do you know when Angela's father is arriving?" Booth asked

            "Billy said he is trying to get a flight out, but there is heavy fog in Copenhagen. He tried to get a car, but there were no more to rent and he doesn't speak Danish to get directions. I'm keeping him updated as we know anything. God I have to find someone to watch Michael Vincent."

            Booth turned to him. "Hodgins, we can take him for as long as you need us to. He will be with Max when we are not there."

            "Booth I don't want to be a burden"

            "It's not Jack. It's what friends are for. Concentrate on Angela right now. She's going to be fine. Come on, man she's the daughter of rock royalty. If she has half as many balls as Billy Gibbons, she's going to be okay."

            Booth didn't realize the significance of how he addressed Hodgins, but Brennan did. She smiled in spite of herself.

            Hodgins laughed, letting Booth know that his intention worked. "Thanks, Dude."

            Before Booth could respond, the ER doors opened and Doctor McIntyre came out. "Jack Hodgins?"

            Hodgins stood up and almost ran to the doctor, almost running over the interns in the process. Booth and Brennan stood up in attention. "Yes, yes, how's Angela?"

            "Well, we were right. The testing I conducted after you told me about what she had eaten the night before confirmed my suspicions."

            "What happened to my wife, Doctor?"

            The doctor looked him in the eye. "Dr. Hodgins, your wife is suffering from botulism poisoning. Getting her here when you did and telling me about the tomatoes she ate saved her life. If you would have waited one more hour, chances are she wouldn't be here now."

            Hodgins swayed for a moment, supported by a fast acting Wendell who moved right behind him. "C-Can I see her?"

            "She has just been given the antitoxin and she's sleeping, but you can see her. Follow me." He turned to the others. "Family only for now."

            When Hodgins left, everyone sat in the ER in shock. Unconsciously, Brennan leaned into Booth for support, forgetting about the recent upheaval in their lives. "Booth, what if Angela dies? What happens to Hodgins…what happens to Michael?"

            Booth's heart swelled at the body contact, but he knew that she needed reassurance now more than he needed her. Tentatively he put his arm around her and was silently grateful when she didn't push him away. "Nothing is going to happen to Angela, Bones. She's tough and has people who love her. God is looking out for her."

            "There is no spiritual being that helped Angela. It was all Hod—" Suddenly Brennan looked up as a thought came to her. "The tomatoes! Booth, I have the same tomatoes in our refrigerator. You ate them two days ago!"

            Frantic, she ran to the Nurses station where Doctor McIntyre returned. "Doctor, my mate ate the same tomatoes two days previously, but he isn't sick. How do you know Angela didn't get sick somewhere else?"

            "All of Ms. Hodgins' other food sources were not from home and there are no botulism outbreaks reported. If others in your home report eating from the same source, we need to examine the individuals. Bring him here."

            She turned around, seeing that Booth had joined her. "This isn't necessary, you guys I feel fine. Besides, I have to brief Agents Shaw and Sparling when they get here."

            "That's fine Agent Booth. You have thirty seconds to text a message then we are going back." Knowing he was beat, Booth did a quick text before the doctor pointed towards the door. "Now come with me, Agent Booth"

            The men, followed by Brennan, disappeared through the doors. Wendell watched the scene, and then turned to the rest of the group assembled. "Pelant. When is all this going to end?"

            "When the son of a bitch is dead"

            All turn to see Agent Genevieve Shaw. She looked at all the interns, lingering for a moment on Wendell before joining the group. "Where is Agent Booth?" She suddenly felt a vibration from her phone and looked. "Oh, he's in the back."

            She went up to the desk and announced herself. After a moment, she returned to the group. "I have to wait a few minutes." Seeing Sweets' expectant look, Shaw directed her gaze at him. "Doctor Sweets, she is still at the house helping with a canvas."

            Sweets suddenly blushed. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

            Shaw rolled her eyes at him. "Sure, Doctor Sweets, whatever."

            Trying not to appear too excited, Wendell replied. "Doctor B is having him examined to rule out botulism since he ate the same stuff Angela did. Did Pelant leave any clues at their house?"

            "No trace of outside entry. No way to connect Pelant"

            "We all know he did it, Genny—Agent Shaw."

            "I agree, but we can't do anything without proof. We all need to work together as a team. Agent Booth taught me that."

            Her phone rang. "Agent Shaw….hello Dr. Brennan. I'm in the lobby, what do you need from me? Okay I will be ready."

            She ended the call and turned around. "We're gonna get him everyone." she said as a nurse opened the ER doors. At the nurse's motion to follow, Agent Shaw followed her to the back.

            When she was out of sight, all the interns turned to Wendell. "I'm in Big Brothers Big Sisters and I hang out with her son Danny." His phone beeped. "Saved by the beep"

            Wendell looked at his phone. "Hodgins said Angela is resting now and everyone else should go. I have to run to their house and bring stuff for Michael to Dr. Brennan."

            Cam stood up. "Okay everyone it has been a long and insane day. I want you all to go home and get some sleep. I need you all tomorrow morning." Seeing everyone's hesitance, she continued. "Now. I will stay and keep everyone posted."

            Everyone turned to get their things and walked out. Arastoo saw Cam sit on a nearby couch and start staring at the door. Waving goodbye to the others, he sat next to her.

            Startled, she turned to her boyfriend. "Arastoo, we all have a long day tomorrow. Go home and get some sleep."

            "I'll be fine, Cam. I'm much more worried about you."

            "I'm fine, Arastoo." She said with a small crack to her voice.

            Arastoo took her hand. "Ms. Montenegro, Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, Dr. Hodgins…they're not just your colleagues….they're your friends. I know you are scared. If you're staying then I'm staying. That's what you do when you love someone, Camille."

            He put his arm around her followed by gently moving her head to his shoulder with his other hand. "You can act all _'pissed and focused head of the lab'_ with the other scientists but not with me."

            A tear fell down Cam's face as she sat with Arastoo in the lobby. "You're right…I'm mad as hell….but I'm also scared."

* * *

             A few hours later, Brennan came into Angela's room in the ER. Seeing both Hodgins and Angela sleeping, she turned to leave, but was interrupted by an awakening Hodgins.

            "Come on in, Dr. B"

            "I'm sorry, Hodgins, I can come back."

            "Get in here so you can see Ange, Dr Brennan." When she got closer, Hodgins asked her "How's Booth? I heard they are checking him out, too."

            Resigned and emotionally spent, she sat in a nearby chair. "Currently he is having a nerve conduction test and a brain scan and won't be back for a while. Agent Shaw is waiting for Booth to return. Mr. Bray is also there because he dropped off items for Michael, however it was just too quiet, so I left to take a walk around the hospital. Any updates from Agent Sparling?"

            "She was here a while ago. She did an extensive canvas but turned up nothing….big surprise." Trying to maintain control, he continued to talk. "Did you know that she and Agent Shaw graduated from the FBI Academy together? She's also staying with her because her building's plumbing went…Sweets told me last week. Did you also know…"

            Brennan was scared, but knew Hodgins had to be terrified if he was babbling about an acquaintance while his wife was in the hospital. Feeling a sense of dread, she looked to Angela. "Jack…how is she?"

            Hodgins exhaled before looking to his wife. "She has ptosis with both eyes, which the doctor says will eventually clear up. She is breathing on her own, but her right side may have nerve damage. It's really weak…"

            "Her right side? Oh no….."

            Hodgins grabbed Angela's hand while she was sleeping. "We won't know the extent of the damage until she wakes up. Any therapy will take weeks, if not months. The doctors said she may or may not gain full function of her right side, but she's going to be okay."

            Brennan saw through his forced smile as she heard his words and understood. Both knew how much Angela's art meant to her. Physically, one can survive nerve damage, but emotionally….a different matter. Both knew that this is due to a menace they are all in danger from….and a danger to. Her thoughts were interrupted by Hodgins.

            "Booth's going to be okay you know. That asshole Pelant didn't win today."

            Conflicting emotions threatened to drown her but she compartmentalized everything. "How do you know that?"

            Hodgins smiled. "A hunch."

            "A hunch can't help to know if Booth will need a spinal tap. We need the results before we can say he will be healthy" She looked at her watch. "He should be back in a while from his tests. I'm going to go. Keep me in the circle about Angela."

            Hodgins laughed for the first time since he got to Angela's side. "That's  _keep me in the loop_ , and I will do that. Thanks for coming, Temperance."

            "You're welcome, Jack"

            Brennan maintained composure as she walked out of the room.

* * *

            After a walk in the hospital and its beautiful gardens, she went out to the lobby to update Cam and Arastoo who were sleeping in a chair. After sending them home with a promise to keep them updated, she returned to the ER. By now stress and fatigue were taking over her as she noted the time on a nearby clock….2:00 am.

            When she entered one of the hallways, she saw the doctor walking to Booth's room. "Dr. McIntyre, do we have the results back?"

            "Yes, we do. Come in and we can talk."

            Both entered the room. She saw Booth in bed talking to Wendell and Agent Shaw. Moreover, she saw the nervousness in his eyes. Any anger she felt at the moment was consumed by fear of what could happen to him as she found a stool. "Does he have botulism?" 


	7. Max Gets Involved

             By 5:00 am, Booth was asleep in bed but Brennan was wide awake staring at the ceiling. Resigned to her fate, she got out of bed, being careful not to wake up Booth or the children in the next room and slipped downstairs. Moving carefully to the man cave, she silently closed the door so not to wake her father, noting the fact the door would not completely latch.

            ' _Will have to let Booth know about_   _that.'_  she thought.

            Walking to her anthropologist's cave down the hall, she shut the door for privacy. She went to her computer on her desk and booted up. She noted to turn off her wireless settings to off and turned off her router. Even then, she was aware of Pelant and how he could manipulate computers. She would be damned if he would get to hers the way he got to Sweets'.

            Opening a drawer, she looked until she found a flash drive with MALUKU ISLANDS written on the side. Taking it and inserting it into the USB port, she waited a moment before looking for the document she needed and opened it. She sat for a moment, and then gathered her thoughts as she began to type.

_Lister was taken by the doctor for tests. Feeling the silence in the room made her thoughts wander to places she didn't want them to go. She didn't want to think about her best friend a few cubicles down, fighting for her life. Suffocating from that worry along with everything going on with her mate, she felt her fight fading her. She was determined to hold her emotions in check, but knew it was a losing battle. Needing some fresh air, Kathy walked out of the room._

_As she walked down the halls, the events of the last several months flew back at her…..being charged with a murder she didn't commit, her friends at the lab being terrorized for assisting in her case, and her on and off struggles with Lister after getting back from being on the run. All came back to the same thing…..Anton._

_This genius was the smartest person she ever met and it seemed that no matter what they did….Anton found a way to circumvent their efforts. To say that it was frustrating was the tip of the lake. Kathy was feeling something she hadn't felt in a long time….defeated and alone._

_Before she knew it, she found herself at the hospital gardens. All of a sudden, she felt a peace in the air that she instantly craved. Seeing the bush of daffodils, she made her way over. She bent down and sniffed, loving the aroma it gave off. She then sat on the nearby bench. Looking to her right, she was confronted with a cherub staring down at her. Spooked, she scooted down until she was in the middle of the bench._

_Sitting among the flowers, she enjoyed the peace and quiet, finally able to shut her eyes and mind off if only for a few minutes. After about five minutes, she suddenly opened her eyes as an epiphany came to her. When it washed over her, she broke down into sobs as she felt a wave of relief. However the initial wave of relief changed into anger and frustration when she realized what Lister did._

_"I'm his partner! Booth's supposed to trust me!" she moaned as another wave of fresh tears came out as all the feelings she had been bottling up came out in a wave. She hugged herself tightly as if she did this the feelings would go back inside, but it was too late for that. When she was finally spent, Kathy took another look around, wiped her eyes, and got up to go back. What she needed to do could come later….when she knew what that was._

* * *

 

            Booth reached over to Brennan in sleep and only found coolness. Waking up, he noticed she was gone. Needing to know where she was, he got out of bed and grabbed his notebook from the nightstand drawer. He needed to write down the events of the last twenty four hours and come up with possible ideas to defeat Pelant. He looked to her night stand and saw her phone. He felt his anxiety go down a bit knowing she must be in the house somewhere.

            He quietly walked down the hall to Christine's room. Seeing her sleep peacefully, he kissed her head. He looked over to Michael in the spare bed kept for him and did the same. Comforted by the fact the two children were okay, he walked out without a sound. He walked to the steps and stopped for a moment as he thought about the last several hours.

            Angela getting sick from botulism could only come from Pelant. He knew the artist long enough to know that she was very careful when she canned food, especially when she knew her family and friends were going to eat what she had. He used the tomatoes for dinner a few days ago and suffered no ill effects.

            Angela and her family were targeted, simple as that. Yes, it could be someone with an ax to grind towards Hodgins and the now defunct Cantilever group, but his gut said no. Hodgins had been able to recover some of his money back but hundreds of millions were still missing. He knew that Jack didn't care about the money so much as keeping his family safe, so obviously it can't be for extortion.

            Angela's art and computer skills rival Pelant's. Hodgins holds three doctorates in science that can trap him. Michael Vincent was their Achilles Heel, a weakness to be exploited. Taking these three out of the picture could make it very difficult, if not impossible to take him down once and for all.

            Then his thoughts went to Bones. He knew their coupling in the Sequoia earlier was born more out of sadness and disconnect as opposed to missing him. He didn't care. He saw her eyes throughout, the eyes that can hook him and make him forget reason. Her eyes were in pain, but there was love there. It gave him something to hold on to….something to give him hope that when Pelant was gone from their lives, he and Bones could put the pieces back together, get married, and have their happily ever after….the one they so richly deserve.

            Coming out of his thoughts, Booth walked down to find his partner. He walked by the man cave and saw it was not totally latched.

            ' _Bones didn't want to wake Max.’_  Booth thought as he went to close the door.  _'Not closing tightly again….project for the weekend.'_

            Brennan stopped typing as she collected her thoughts. Suddenly hearing footsteps, she saved her file, not noticing that it went to her hard drive instead of her USB. She quickly removed her flash drive, and threw it in the drawer. She turned on the wireless router before she got up and opened the door to Booth with his right hand up to knock.

            "Bones, are you all right?"

            "I’m fine Booth. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to work on my novel. Did you need anything?"

            Booth was still fatigued to the core, but he sensed a thaw in the air. He still felt her anger, but she actually was open to doing something for him now. "No, Bones I woke up and you weren't there and I got worried."

            For Brennan, looking at Booth she saw in his eyes less of the stress and pain that she saw the last few weeks, the same pain she had now. However, she had a new set of emotions she was trying to process and it was not something that could be resolved overnight. 

            ‘ _How to resolve this….thing…between them?’_ She had no idea, but decided each had been through enough for one day. Suddenly, she saw the composition notebook in his hand.

            "I'm going to check on Christine and Michael before heading back to bed, Booth. Why do you have a composition notebook?"

            On the spot, Booth sputtered for a moment, hesitant to even tell Bones about the one place he could confess his feelings and strategize against Pelant. Knowing that there was no way he could tell her about Pelant yet, he made a decision.

            "Oh, just some notes I made on a cold case I was given today."

            Brennan knew it was a lie. She recalled a few sarcastic comments he made over the years in regard to school and those types of notebooks. She also knew that he used the standard FBI legal pads and his colored index cards. On one hand, being angry with him was unreasonable and she knew it, but the other hand she felt shut out as lingering feelings of abandonment invaded her thoughts.

            Booth saw the thaw in her eyes freeze over again. ‘ _What did I say?’_  He thought. Remembering their making love a few hours earlier, he suddenly he got a moment of courage. He wasn't sure where it came from, but he didn't care.

            "Bones, there's something I have to tell you."

            Before he could continue, the house phone rang from the laundry room. Both looking puzzled, Booth and Brennan walked to the phone. Booth got to the Bakelite phone first. "This is Booth."

            Suddenly, he heard a guitar followed by a chorus of singers. When he heard the words, his blood froze.

_**Silence is golden**_   
_**But my eyes' still see** _   
_**Silence is golden, golden** _   
_**But my eyes still see** _

            Brennan saw the look on Booth's face and knew something was wrong when he lost almost all the color to his face. She watched as he suddenly hung up the phone and hit the wall in frustration, followed by something she didn't expect. A tear falling from his eyes.

            "Booth?" When he didn't answer, she tried again. "Booth? What happened? Who was that?"

            Hearing that song made him realize that he had to find a way to defeat Pelant. Unfortunately, the man had eyes and ears in his home, which meant he had to lie to Bones again. "Prank call."

            She knew it was a lie and knew it. Anger gave way to devastation as she realized she was being shut out again. 

            ‘ _Is it Pelant? Why would he lie to me if it wasn't Pelant? Maybe he doesn't want to marry me? No, Booth has never intentionally hurt me. Cam's right, but he is lying to me.’_

The anger came back with a vengeance. "Fine, Booth, I am going back to bed."

            Once again, Booth watched her walk away in defeat and felt himself die a little more. It took him years to get her to tear her walls down. Now he knows they are starting to build back up again, and he was the cause.

            Feeling himself about to burst emotionally, he quickly walked to Brennan's desk. Opening the drawer, he noted a USB drive. Realizing that it must be her latest novel she was working on, he grabbed a pen and walked to the living room couch. Opening the book, he began to write in a frenzy.

            When the coast was clear, Max tip toed out of the man cave. He heard everything and was very worried. He heard what sounded like drawers opening and closing so he skulked to his daughter's office and quietly searched her drawers noting items of interest. When he was done, he looked up and saw the computer. His antenna went up and he filed his idea away for later.

            He moved quietly to the living room where he saw Booth writing frantically. Then he saw who he felt was the strongest man he knew stop writing, put his head in his hands, and unmistakably start crying. Not wanting to invade his privacy, Max snuck back into the man cave, got back into his makeshift bed, and laid there in thought.

            This had to be Pelant….no one else. His enemies were mostly dead now. The few left had no metaphoric fangs left to sink into him so he knew his children were safe. He had known Seeley Booth for almost eight years. They may not have always agreed on things, but he was one of the few people he respected. What you saw was what you got and he knew how much he loved his daughter.

            He was damned if he was going to let this little pissant ruin the life his daughter and Booth built. Max may not always be on the up and up, but he had a code of ethics. Pelant killed people not for justification, but for sport, and Max Keenan couldn't live by that.

_‘Would he kill him_?’ Max thought. Only if justified. He made a promise to his daughter to stay straight and he was determined to keep that promise.

            There was one person who could help him defeat Pelant once and for all and when she was able, the two of them would go after the murderous troll. No one, but no one would hurt his Tempe and get away with it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Song: Silence is Golden by the Tremeloes


	8. Calm Before The Storm Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Calm Before the Storm is in multiple parts. There is more story and action going on before the end don't worry. There will be occasional time devoted to other characters that will be part of story now or in the immediate future. Don't worry SIG fans, there is a method to my madness and you will enjoy the ride, I promise.
> 
> Also, I write character driven stories that I try to make as umbrella ones as much as possible, so if I miss something, feel free to let me know. This is my first Bones fanfic and I want to do it justice.
> 
> Thanks for the reviews of late and my new followers. I must be doing something right. Please keep up the reviews. It lets me know I am on the right track and encourages me to keep going.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Bones but I sure as hell should sometimes!

            Arastoo and Cam were taking a walk through the Mall lost in their own thoughts as they enjoyed a rare day off together.

            Cam was having one of her moments of insecurity. Arastoo Vaziri was almost ten years younger than her and a Muslim.  This wasn’t a problem now, but she knew of the potential ones for the future.  Part of her was terrified of the fact she has been falling so far in love with this man, but was also exhilarated.  As much as it shamed her, not even Michelle's father made her feel this way.

            She also knew that Arastoo loved children, but she didn't want any more. She knew she needed to talk about her feelings with him, but could never find the right time.

            As for Arastoo, his thoughts were as jumbled as hers. He still couldn't believe that he was in a relationship with the most beautiful woman in the world.  He knew she got insecure about their age difference at times, but to him it didn't matter.  At the same time, he wasn’t naïve as he understood that if they were to make the ultimate commitment, there were some obstacles. One being their religions, but he knew they could make it work.

            Then there was also the matter of children.  He would love a family with her, but he knew in his heart he wanted her more. Fear of scaring her off had made him hesitant about telling her how he truly felt about her.

            Suddenly Arastoo stopped as he turned Cam around. Then he kissed her with a kiss that showed her how much he loved her.

            Both gave everything they had into the kiss before reluctantly breaking it. Recognizing the look in each other's eyes, they smiled and ran to Cam's car. Some things could wait for another time, but others couldn't.

* * *

 

            Brennan was in Limbo examining the mandible from one of four skeletons brought in from a recent discovery at Antietam. After several minutes, she knew she wasn't getting anywhere and put the bone down. If this skeleton was possibly a soldier, he deserved more than 100% and she couldn't give even close to that. Carefully she put the skeleton away and walked to her office.

            She shut the door, removed her lab coat, and sat at her desk as she got lost in her thoughts as she picked up a picture of Booth, Christine, Parker, and herself when Parker came to visit last.

            She always loved him as her own, but seeing Parker's obvious love for Christine sealed it that he was her son as much as Booth and Rebecca's. She knew that she could never take Rebecca's place, but she always held a spot in her heart just for the younger Booth. He was coming home Father's Day weekend for the summer while Rebecca was coming to Washington for a case. She was worried about Pelant but wanted to make their time with Parker count before he headed back to England.

            She knew that Pelant had something to do with Booth and the broken engagement. That part made her feel better. The part about him continuing to lie to her was where her anger was placed.

            All the feelings that she thought were resolved from her younger years; abandonment into foster care…anger from being lied to by her parents in regard to her origins…fears of being hurt…..rose again in the last several weeks.  More than once recently, a thought crossed her mind recently.

            ' _Was he still angry about when she took Christine last year?_ '  _If what I am feeling now was anywhere near where he was feeling, I am receiving it back in clubs.'_

            Wallowing wasn't the way to get Pelant, she knew. She had to get over it….needed to find a way get over it, but she couldn't. It seemed like every day she felt Booth slipping away from her.

            No, that's not correct. They were slipping away from each other.

            She needed the truth from Booth but also knew that Pelant has surveillance all over. However, she needed to figure out how to talk to her mate without letting their enemy know. Together they, along with their friends were more dangerous to the enemy mastermind than any of them alone. Christopher Pelant also knew that.

            Then she drifted to another photograph of her and Booth at her 15th year high school reunion. He had recently asked her to take a chance on them and she turned him down out of fear. He still was her partner and even her date when it mattered at the reunion in between solving a murder.

            She understood now it was selfish to ask him to remain her friend and stay with her when she knew she broke his heart. Everyone before always left her, but he never did. She knew that he would always be there beside her.

            There was their short detour with each going half way around the world, with him involved with Hannah when she returned to Washington. She was there for him when that relationship crumbled and she had to help him pick up the pieces. His involvement with Hannah broke her heart, but somewhere in her she had hope that they would be together someday.

            When that someday came…..what a someday it was….in more ways than one.

            Tears started to flow and she realized she was at work. Needing to purge her thoughts, she grabbed her USB and plugged it in on her portable laptop that she kept the wireless off on. Finding the item she needed, she hit **_CTRL + End._** That's when she saw it.

            The missing words…..the words she wrote the night Angela got sick.

            ' _Oh God…..where were they? Did she not save them?'_   She thought to herself.

            The night being a blur, she decided to let it go for the time being. As she began to type, her thoughts were interrupted by a phone call.  "Brennan."

            A moment of silence.  "Hodgins slow down, what is wrong?  Is she okay?  No, you are not interrupting me…..I'm on my way."

            Brennan quickly ended the call and grabbed her messenger bag. She was on her way to tell Cam she was leaving when she remembered that she took a personal day. Remembering where she needed to be, she rushed over to Fisher and gave him instructions on what needed to be done that day before leaving.

* * *

            Lance Sweets was leaving Booth's office when he saw Agent Olivia Sparling in the bullpen. Feeling a spring in his step, he walked over to her. "Hi, Olivia."

            She turned to a voice she knew well. It took everything she had to keep it professional. She really liked him, but didn't want to get her hopes up with him again after last time. "Hi Doctor Sweets."

            Getting his courage up, Sweets remembered the advice Booth gave him a few minutes earlier. 

            ‘ _Slow down, talk to her, take her someplace simple, like for coffee, and see where it goes. Don't get shrinky with her._

            He took a deep breath before stammering, "I….I was…I was wondering if….maybe if you wanted…"

            Genny saw Sweets was anxious and got up. "I need to make some copies."

            After she left, Agent Sparling turned back to the psychologist. Seeing he was nervous, she decided to cut him some slack. "How can I help you, Lance?"

_             'She called me Lance!' _  He thought before he began to stutter until he looked at Agent Booth's office and saw him at his desk. If Booth could win the heart of Doctor Temperance Brennan, he could do a simple thing as asking an FBI agent out.

            He took another deep breath. "If you are free right now, would you like to go for coffee with me, Agent Sparling? Just coffee….no sex!" 

            Sweets’ eye bulged out as he realized what he said.  _'Oh my God…I am such a dork!'_

            Sparling turned beet red and looked around, thankful the bullpen was empty at the moment. She was wary, but Genny said to give him a chance. 

            ‘ _That girl should take her own advice.’_  she thought, but she knew the words were sound and coffee couldn't hurt.

            "Sure, Lance, I will go for just coffee with you."

_             'Yes! Score!' _  Sweets internally screamed but held his excitement back as Olivia got up and joined him before they walked out of the bullpen.

            When they got to the elevator, Olivia saw Agent Perotta coming out of the break room with a gleam in her eyes as her vision looked to be directed at their supervisor's office.

            ' _Uh oh,’_ Olivia thought.

* * *

 

            Genny Shaw watched as her friend and Doctor Sweets left together. He was dorky but a nice guy. She also noted that Agent Perotta was walking back towards her desk, but kept looking at Agent Booth's office from time to time. 

            _'Damn can she be any more obvious?  She thinks no one knows what she's up to. Whatever.  Coloring her hair darker only makes her look desperate. Does that ho really think she can steal Agent Booth away from Dr. Brennan? Dr. Brennan has more class and is sooooo beautiful without all the crap Perotta uses.’_

            She walked back to her desk and couldn't stop herself when she saw the other agent looking at the office again.   "Give it up, Perotta. He's not going to give you the time of day. He adores Doctor Brennan and he has a family. Why would he give all that up for a roll in the hay with you?"

            Her fellow agent turned to her colleague. "Don't be jealous because I have what I have and you have….what you have.  He is handsome, charming, and oh so sexy. He needs someone who can appreciate that, not an uptight scientist who thinks she better than everyone else."

            Perotta struck a nerve, but Shaw was determined not to show that the obvious insult hurt. "Maybe Peyton that's because she  _is_  better than anyone else. People are more interested in her and the men around here seem to check her out more than you."

            "Just because you don't get the attention I do…"

            Suddenly feeling a buzz, Shaw ignored the other agent's hot air and picked up her phone. When she saw the text message, she lit up in spite of herself.

_              **Scored tickets 2 Orioles game this wknd. Danny & I would like 2 go if that's OK. Will u go w/ us?** _

            Butterflies were in her stomach as she thought of Wendell Bray. She didn't understand how a handsome, smart guy like Wendell would be interested in someone like her….a single mother whose looks weren't more than….eh.  She saw girls flirt with him whenever the group got together after a case at the Founding Fathers and he could have any girl he wanted.

            They had an unexpected kiss several weeks ago and she had to admit there were sparks. However, she also had sparks with Danny's father and she remembered how that turned out. Ever since, she tried to avoid him if Danny or work colleagues weren't around. She didn't trust herself alone with him.

            She came back when she felt another buzz and looked at the message.

_              **Pwease Mommy?** _

            Genny started laughing.  _'How could she say no?'_ she thought before texting back a reply.

**_             Yes u can go.  B good 4 Wendell & I will c u l8r. _ **

            Realizing where she was, she opened a file to study the latest on the Pelant case. 

            ‘ _It's just a baseball game,’  She thought. ‘What could it hurt?’_

* * *

 

            At Rock Creek Park, Danny and Wendell were with Finn and Michelle. Michelle was playing catch with Danny while Finn and Wendell were talking after he finished texting.

            "Please say yes, Genny….please."

            Finn was laughing. "Man, you are drowning in molasses for this gal, aren't you? Why don't you talk to her?  You've already kissed her.  I'd say that a mighty fine way to get to know a gal."

            "Dude I'm trying, but she avoids me whenever possible. I think I spooked her when I kissed her. I get the impression Danny's father was a major douche and doesn't want to risk another one."

            He looked at the phone in anticipation. "I hope she I can get her to go to the Orioles with Danny and I if she lets him go. Scoring those three tickets was not an easy thing on my wallet, but it would be worth it."

            Finn laughed, and then had an idea. "Hey Danny."

            Michelle and Danny walked over before Finn knelt down to the small child. "Wanna help Wendell with asking your mom if you can see the baseball game?"

            "Ya!"

            Finn took Wendell's phone before the other guy could stop him. "Okay what do you want to say?"

            Danny smiled an impish grin. "Pwease Mommy?"

            Everyone laughed as Finn sent the message to Genny before giving the phone back to Wendell. "Now we wait."

            About a couple minutes later the phone buzzed. Wendell looked up, smiled a big grin and yelled, "YES! BOOYAH!"

            He then started dancing a jig to the delight of his companions and people passing by.

* * *

 

            Peyton Perotta watched the events of the bullpen after she got herself coffee. When she saw Sparling leave with Doctor Lance Sweets, she felt a quick tug before she pushed it down.  _For a geek, Sweets is smart and kind of cute. He was very impressive during the first case we worked on together. Might have considered him for a good time, but he was with that annoying as fuck Daisy from the Jeffersonian._

            For a moment, she felt another tug of something as she remembered the friendship and respect she had noticed between Agents Shaw and Sparling for a while now. Realizing this, she pushed it down. 

            _'I have it all over those two.'_

            She got back to the desk and felt another moment of envy when she saw Genny again _._ Once again, thoughts raced through her.

_            ‘I have more experience in the field and seniority. Why does Agent Shaw get to work with Agent Booth more than I do? Obviously she can't be a better agent than me. Probably Doctor Brennan feels threatened by me. I can't imagine anyone threatened by Genny Shaw.’ _

            She did further research into Christopher Pelant, but looked across the room from time to time in Seeley Booth's office. She could imagine a delicious encounter on his office desk after hours.  Something annoying broke her thoughts.

            "Give it up, Perotta. He's not going to give you the time of day. He adores Doctor Brennan and he has a family. Why would he give all that up for a roll in the hay with you?"

            She noted after a few minutes of conversation she was ignored for Agent Shaw's phone.

            ' _Why does she have a stupid grin on her face? It's not like any hot guys would be interested in her anyway. Who wants to be saddled with a kid?'_

            Deciding that she won her tête-à-tête with the other agent, she went back to her work, but kept glancing back into her supervisor's office. 

            ‘ _I bet sex with him would be amazing. I can't wait to find out.’_

* * *

 

            Booth watched all the happenings from his office. Taking a needed break from his duties, he smiled as he observed Sweets taking his advice successfully.  A short time later, he saw Agents Shaw and Perotta back at their desks having a conversation.

            When he saw Agent Shaw smile at her phone, he suspected that Wendell was the reason behind it.  His phone buzzed and his opinion was confirmed.

_              **Dude we r going 2 Orioles game!  She's going on a date w/ me! Almost, but BOOYAH!** _

            Booth laughed as he was happy for his hockey teammate. He cautioned him in his hospital room that he faced obstacles with dating an FBI agent and a single mother to boot. However, he liked both of them and if anyone deserved someone decent, it was Shaw.

            Agent Genevieve Shaw was frankly one of the best agents he had ever worked with. She was bright, flexible, quick on her feet, and used the fact people would underestimate her due to her size and age to get what she needed to close a case. He felt a kindred soul in her and was proud to be her mentor.

            He knew she would go places in the Bureau. If he ever moved up to Hacker's job, he would do what he could to make her the SAC in Major Crimes or somewhere.  

            He also noted from time to time Agent Perotta would look in his office. Sweets said the agent wanted to hook up with him, but even if FBI regulations permitted it, he wasn't interested.

            Agent Peyton Perotta was an excellent agent who could charm witnesses and suspects into confessions, but her teamwork skills in the last several months left a bit to be desired. Besides, women who were that obvious usually were insecure and needy and he didn't need that.

            What he had at home had no comparison….no matter where they were at the moment.

            Turning around in his chair, he saw his picture of Bones on his desk and his melancholy came back with a vengeance. He was so good at giving advice to others but when it came to his own love life, it was ruled by a mentally adolescent sociopath.

            He was forty-two years old and Bones was almost thirty-seven. It took them almost a decade to get to this point in their lives and were happy. Bones even proposed to him. They were going to get married, but he had to break her heart to protect her.

            ' _God had a reason for this, right?'_ Booth lamented _._ He never gives a person more than they can handle, at least he always believed that, but doubts made him waver.

            ' _Am I being punished for my life as a sniper? Did I not do enough for Jared when we were younger and my penitence is to suffer?'_

            Booth shook those thoughts off. ' _No, my God isn't like that'_.

            Feeling himself swept up in emotion, he grabbed his notebook and began to write. Someday he would show Bones this notebook….show all the love he had for her, a love so strong at times it could be overpowering to his senses. The rush he got from her love made the rush that he got from gambling seem like nothing.

            Suddenly his phone rang. Seeing the number, he groaned before answering. "Booth."

            His face changed to one of sympathy as he listed to the caller, his usual impatience towards the person while working together gone.

            "Meet me here in thirty minutes," He said before listening for a minute. "It's fine. There's not much going on today anyway. Max left here a short time ago with Christine to the park I think, so bring Michael here. I'll text him that you are on your way…..don't worry about it Hodgins. It's better that we talk without your son around. I'll see you soon."

            Booth hung up his phone and worked to finish. After texting Max, he worked to finish his thoughts in his notebook. 


	9. Calm Before The Storm Part 2

            Angela was at home doing exercises for her right arm. Unfortunately she could only lift up to two inches. Frustration mounted as she felt tears in her eyes. The therapists told her that she has made more progress that was expected at this time, but to her those were just words.

            She had ideas for her art, but she couldn't express them as before. Her attempts at a chalk drawing resembled a preschooler's art project. Due to her lingering respiratory difficulties, she got winded very easily and tasks that were nothing to her in the past were difficult if not impossible due to the nerve damage in her dominant arm.

            She also knew she wasn't being fair to her husband when she got snarky with him. Hodgins picked up the slack for her without complaint, even when she got frustrated with him doing everything for her.  It just reminded her of how things have changed.

            Remembering what the therapist said, the artist stopped her exercises.  Deciding that her son was the best to take a break with, Angela walked over to Michael Vincent’s playpen and started to lift him up.  Before he could finish, Hodgins walked in the room and quickly took over.

            “Angie, you’re not supposed to lift stuff.  Now relax.  I’m going to put our son down for his nap.  I’ll be right back.”

            “Sure, Hodgins.”

            When her husband returned a few minutes later, he didn’t look happy.  “Angie, you need to quit stressing yourself out.  The doctors and the therapist said you shouldn’t exert yourself until your lungs have fully healed.  Quit trying to do everything and concentrate on yourself, all right?”   

            She knew he meant well, but all of the feelings that were swirling inside since her poisoning pushed through.  Suddenly she picked up a vase and threw it at her husband, barely missing him.

            "FUCK YOU JACK HODGINS! FUCK YOU!" she yelled before throwing another vase at a book shelf with her left hand. Hodgins could only stop in surprise at the force that was his wife.

            Angela felt herself getting winded and leaned against another bookshelf. When Hodgins came to assist her, she yanked her arm out of his hand and continued to spew her rage.

            "I am so tired of being poor Angie! I am not a cripple, Jack Stanley Hodgins the fucking Fourth! I don't need someone dogging my every move…..complimenting me on art I know is shit…patting me on the head telling me I am doing so good….that I will get the function in my arm back….that I'll be able to breathe normally again, it just takes time and patience. That is bullshit! All of this is fucking bullshit! You are just feeling sorry for me and being condescending! I can pick up my own damn son and there is nothing you, my dad, Pelant, or anyone can do about it. SO FUCK YOU! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE!"

            She saw the look on her husband's face as she came down from her explosion. Immediately regretting her words, she tried to say something, but nothing would come out. Rejected, her husband left the room.

            After a few moments of standing there in silence, she saw the pictures she attempted to draw with chalk. Feeling her rage build again, she walked over and started ripping them into shreds. When she was done with that, she found various objects and threw them at the wall.

            "Damn you, Pelant! I hate you! I want you to die you evil son of a bitch! I hate you!" She yelled as she tossed another vase.

            Spent, she looked around the room she partially destroyed. Overcome with sudden regret, she collapsed on the ground and broke down for the first time since she was poisoned. Feelings that she hid behind rage and sarcasm flowed freely.

            As she was on the tail end of her purge, she felt a pair of arms around her. Expecting to see her husband, she was surprised to see her best friend.

            "Bre-Bren, why are you here?"

            Brennan looked over the room. Paper was ripped and scattered and there were shards of china all over the floor.  After a few seconds, she let Angela go. "Jack called me and said you needed me. He left when I got here."

            Angela sniffled. "I'm sorry you were called away from work."

            "Don't worry about me, Angela. You've been there for my irrational, emotional difficulties. Let me try to help you with the same."

            Angela knew her friend meant nothing by her comments but what was stated. She also knew her best friend was holding back emotions of her own and sensed Brennan had an idea of what she was feeling. Overwhelmed by her emerging feelings, Angela broke down again in Brennan's arms.

            Brennan held her friend tight and let her cry. She knew what it felt like to feel helpless. She felt it at fifteen when she was forced into foster care, when Michael Shires eviscerated her on the stand years ago, and she knew now from her experiences with Christopher Pelant. Not know what else to do, she stayed silent with her own thoughts of anger and frustration as Angela began to purge herself of hers.

* * *

 

            Max arrived back at Booth's office about an hour later. When he got to the door, he saw that Booth was still engrossed in what he was doing.

            Getting closer, he saw that he was writing in the same notebook he was using a few weeks ago when Max stayed over. He left Christine by the end table, made sure an item was within easy reach in the diaper bag, and then walked over. When he got to Booth's desk, he put the diaper bag down with a loud thud, startling Booth.

            "Max, what the hell?" Booth saw the clock.

            "Had to get your attention somehow." Noting the location of the notebook, he watched for a moment. "Hey, guess who wanted to see her daddy."

            Booth lit up as he saw his daughter. Getting up to greet her, he left from behind his desk. When Booth's back was turned, Max quickly switch Booth's book with a similar looking one, placing the needed book in the diaper bag. He barely got the book in the bag when Booth turned around holding Christine.

            "Max what are you up to?" It was then he saw the clock. "What took you so long anyway?"

            Damn, Booth was quick. As much as it annoyed him, he couldn't help but admire that trait in the man his daughter loved. "What are you talking about?"

            "Why are you at my desk like that?"

            Max was quick on his feet like always. "Geez, Booth, get a grip. I was just adjusting the diaper bag while I was making sure I don't leave anything here. I would have been here sooner but I ran back to your house before taking Christine to the park. I hit traffic. I can't help it if traffic in this town sucks."

            Realizing he needs to redirect Booth, he continued. "Besides, you're the one who called me here, remember? You asked me to take Michael while you meet with Angela's geek."

            "His name is Hodgins, Max" Before he could finish, the man in question arrived in the office holding a toddler. Both men couldn't help but notice his paleness and the redness of his eyes.

            "Wow, Bug man, what the hell's your problem?"

            "Can it, Max." Booth said before turning to Hodgins and saw the misery in the other man's eyes. "Come on Hodgins, let's get out of here."

            Hodgins turned to his son before letting go. "Michael you're going to hang out with Max and Christine for a while, okay?"

            The toddler ran to Max, who was also smiling. Children were his favorite type of people. You couldn't bullshit them and you saw what you got.

            Knowing he was on borrowed time with Booth's book, he went to make a quick getaway. "Sorry gentlemen, times a wasting on this beautiful day. The park is calling our names."

            Max took Christine's stroller with one hand and Michael's hand with the other as the three walked out of the office and down to the elevator. When the doors closed, Max let go long enough to text a quick message.

_**I need help with Tempe and Booth. R u available? I need help without Pelant finding out.**_

            After a short while, he got a response.

_I have company at the moment. When I can bk free I will txt u. What do u have in mind?_

            At that moment, the elevator opened. He put his phone away and walked down the block to a nearby park. Guiding the children out to a nearby bench outside, he went back to his phone.

_**I have items of both Tempe & Booth. Need help to decipher so I can use them 2 help rid of Pelant.**_

            Max let Christine out of her seat and pointed out the playground to the kids. "Okay you two, go play there but stay where I can see you."

            As he let the children go across the path, he felt a buzz.  Picking up the phone, he read the message. 

_When I am free I can meet u. Family is gone 4 a while._

            Max texted back.  ** _Fine, we r at the playgd by Booth's office._**

            Max knew he had to play this close to the vest. What he was doing was violating the privacy of two people he cared about. He knew that the kids needed to work out their issues and be together for their sakes, Christine and Parker's sakes, and for the sake of defeating that little worm Pelant. 

            After several minutes, he got another text.  _I'm on my way shortly after company leaves. Which bench?_

            Max texted back. _**The one with the sandboxes by the dinosaur see saws.**_

_B there ASAP_

            Max smiled. Pelant's ass was going down.


	10. Calm Before The Storm Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the last part before you know what hits the fan! Keep reading all.

          Hodgins and Booth went to the coffee cart by the Lincoln Memorial and got a cup of coffee. Each figured talking here would prevent anyone eavesdropping or possible surveillance by Pelant.

          "Angela did what?"

          Hodgins was looking at his coffee. "She lost it, dude," The scientist said before he wiped a tear away before continuing. "She threw things at the wall and told me to fuck off."

          Booth felt for the man. He knew what it like to be on the receiving end of that kind of anger. "Hodgins, you know she didn't mean it."

          "Yes, she did. I've never seen her like that. It was more than anger….it was…I don't know what to call it."

          "Hey, she is going through a lot right now. She was almost killed by Pelant and she is suffering effects from it. She is angry, frustrated, in a lot of pain, and needs to take it out on someone. Unfortunately, you are the nearest one available."

          "It's not just the fact she almost died and you know it, Booth. Art was her life, is her life. I'm trying to be a supportive husband while she is recovering, but she is limited in what she can do. She can't be trying to pick up Michael because she gets winded really easily and her left arm is her non-dominant one….at least I thought it wasn't. It's got a wicked aim when she throws vases across the room."

          "She's got a lot on her plate, man." Booth responded, but before he could finish, he thought for a moment. "Wait. Let me backtrack."

          He pondered whether to share this confidence with Hodgins, but he realized that if anyone can keep a confidence, it was Jack Hodgins.

          "What I am about to tell you is something Bones I am pretty certain hasn't talked about with anyone, even Angela."

          When he saw he made his point, he continued. "When Bones was shot last year, it messed her up for a while."

          Seeing the other man's questioning look, he continued. "Remember….she was off for three weeks and wasn't happy about it. The doctor had put several restrictions on her, ones that really pissed her off, especially the weight restriction one. One day, I saw her attempting to pick up Christine. She was struggling so I came in and got her from Bones. It was time for Christine's nap so I put her to bed. When I came downstairs, Bones was waiting. I asked her if she needed anything and that is what set her off."

          "What did she say?"

          "Well, Bones didn't hold back. She said she was tired of being babied by me and wasn't going to let me keep her daughter away from her." Booth paused. "That set me off. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do, but I gave as good as I got from her. I told her I was tired of walking on egg shells around her and of her pushing herself past doctor's orders. I also told her that being shot didn't just affect her but it affected me as well."

          "She didn't believe me and blew that off, so I let loose all of my feelings. I told her of the guilt I had about her shooting. That if we didn't fight that night, she wouldn't have been shot, and I wouldn't have had to consider raising Christine without her. I told her that I resented the fact that instead of leaning on me she used me as her emotional punching bag and that I had had it.  I then said that she was being selfish by shutting everyone out and snipping at everyone who was trying to help her."

          Booth could feel tears in his eyes, so he took in a deep breath before continuing. "After I said my peace, I left for the man cave. As soon as I sat down, I began thinking about what an asshole I was. Here I have the woman that I love that was lucky enough to survive a shooting that would have killed most people. She is a very independent person that has a hard time depending on others and instead of remembering that, I ripped her a new one six ways from Sunday because I couldn't be patient with her."

          "Dude you were hurting too."

          Booth smiled a wan smile. "I was, but I wasn't the one who was almost murdered. I'm not sure how long I was in there, but Bones came in later on and I could tell she had been crying. Before I could say anything, she sat next to me and apologized for _'taking her emotional difficulties out on me'._ Then, we just grabbed each other and held on for dear life as we cried together."

          Booth finished his story and looked at the man sitting across from you. "I'm telling you this so you know that I understand what you are feeling. I am also telling you this because you and Angela are going to be okay. When she is ready, we will need her because Pelant didn't succeed. We are going to get Pelant, but we all need to be together to get this son of a bitch. Okay?"

          Hodgins grinned a smile of understanding. "Thanks Booth. I know you are not a touchy feely guy, but I don't think I could talk to anyone else about this."

          Suddenly, both men realized they were in public. Making manly grunting noises, they each grabbed their coffees.

          "So how about them Nationals?" Hodgins asked Booth.

* * *

 

          Brennan and Angela had just finished cleaning up the mess in the living room before the artist turned to her friend. "Thanks for letting me have my meltdown."

          "You didn't melt anything down. You cried a lot for emotional reasons."

          "Figure of speech, Honey."

          Brennan got contrite. "Sorry."

          Angela noticed her friend was hesitant to leave, so she moved to reassure her. "I'll be fine, Bren. The doctor said with the progress I made that I can drive an automatic. I need to find my husband and baby. I was a royal bitch to Hodgins."

          "Are you sure you don't want me to drive you?"

          "Honey, seriously, I'm fine. I created this last mess with my husband, now I need to clean it up." Taking a chance, she pressed forward. "You have other things to take care of."

          "Like what?" Brennan said to avoid the subject.

          "You know what. You need to settle things with Booth. There's no way in hell he broke off the engagement to be an ass or because he changed his mind."

          Brennan knew her friend was right. She also knew she had feelings she had to sort out before she could confront Booth. 

          ‘ _He should have found a way to tell her the truth. But how could he when Pelant was everywhere. How do I get passed this?’_

          "Bren, I need to go find my family. You need to find your man and talk….now." Pushing her friend out the door, she led Brennan to her Prius. "Now, off with you."

          "Why are you trying to get rid of me, Angela?"

          "Because I know what's best. Now give me a hug."

          The girls hugged, and then separated as each went to their vehicles. A minute later, Brennan, followed by Angela, both left the residence in opposite directions.

* * *

 

          Max was getting up to put Christine in her stroller when he heard someone walk up, so he looked. "It's about time. What took you so long?"

          Angela sat on the bench. "I was dealing with stuff. Come on, Keenan. I want to get rid of Pelant, too and help Brennan and Booth. What do you have that can help me?"

          "I don't have a lot of time, so we have to be quick." Seeing the kids were playing, he joined his new co-conspirator.  Grabbing Christine's diaper bag, he pulled out Booth's notebook and a Dell laptop.

          "So you do have Bren's laptop. I get Booth's notebook, but why do you have her computer?"

          "The night after you got sick, after everyone got home, Tempe locked herself in her office at 5:00 in the morning. She thought I was asleep but the door to the man cave wouldn't fully close. The last time my daughter locked a door like that she was twelve. Her mom said she did it because she was writing in her diary."

          He sat looking at the machine. "I think this is her diary now. We need to find what's on it."

          He held up Booth's notebook. "I only skimmed a small portion of this because I feel like enough of a shit for taking this. It confirmed that my hunch about Booth and Tempe was correct. Pelant made him break off the engagement by threatening to kill five innocent people if he didn't break it off and keep the reason from my daughter. The little pissant knew Booth's history as a sniper and played him with it."

          "Do you think Pelant will kill five random people?"

          "No, Angela, I think he would kill first Tempe, then Christine and Parker, then two other people that he knew would destroy Booth so he couldn't go after him. I want that little asshole dead, but I made a promise to Tempe."

          Angela looked wary. "You do realize that if she finds out you invaded her space she will be really upset?"

          Max's head hung low. "I know, but I don't know what else to do."

          Angela thought quickly. "Wait, I will tell her that I couldn't find Hodgins at the moment, so I went to your house to check on Michael and decided to check my email to see if he checked in at all on her computer. I've done that before. Trust me Max, she will probably buy this."

          Seeing Max's face, Angela moved to reassure. "Hodgins texted me and said he was with Booth, so I know he's fine."

          "Yeah, what the hell happened anyway? He looked like someone kicked the shit out of his dog."

          "Let's just say I had a bad moment and I will talk to him later. To say I owe him an apology is being mild. Come on Max," Angela said as she got up and held up the notebook. "We need to make copies of this and get it back on Booth's desk before he notices.

          She then pointed to the laptop. "We then need to get back to their house and search the laptop. We need to try to cover your ass with Bren and find out how we can help them. Cam and I had a plan, but me getting sick threw a wrench in things. I think you may have just saved the day Max Keenan."

          Max and Angela smiled before they grabbed the children and went across the street to a local Kinkos.

* * *

 

          Christopher Pelant was watching several images on his monitors. He saw Brennan walking into the Jeffersonian, the FBI building, the Royal Diner, Hodgins' and Angela's house, and the Brennan-Booth house.

          He noticed Brennan go to Angela's house, but the wireless was off in the house, ensuring he could not overhear their conversation. These people were starting to piss him off. No one was smarter than he was.

          He knew to get to the one he wanted, he needed to take them all out. Take out the peripheral flank, then take the rest down until you get to the one. Always save the best for the last when possible. This time, it will be possible, and it will be his last obstacle. Then his dad will love and respect him like he loved and respected the other one.

          He went to take a drink of his coffee, but his left hand wouldn't move for a minute, then very slowly. He noticed over the last few weeks that paralysis was setting in on his left arm. He couldn't risk going for medical attention. It will just have to wait until after the team was eliminated.

          He looked to the FBI monitor and noticed Max Keenan go into the building with the two children. He looked closer and when he saw the woman waiting outside his emotions grew hot as he remembered his recent failure _._

_‘That damn bitch! She was supposed to die along with her scientist husband and their little brat. I put enough botulism in those tomatoes to kill a horse.’_

          He looked and saw the Royal Diner monitor. He saw Hodgins and Booth walk in and quickly moved over to zoom in. Seeing they were going to the table, he moved to push the number sequence to zoom into their conversation, but he couldn't get his arm to move fast enough and then couldn't remember what it was. He pushed in several sequences and he got nothing. He couldn't do anything as looked up and saw them leaving. 

          ‘ _Damn It! I'm gonna get them….I'm gonna get all of them.’_

          Suddenly he heard a beep from his computer. He turned and found out his alert program worked. Looking at the monitor he saw the following information on a manifesto from Heathrow Airport.

**June 15, 2013 US Airways Flight 920**

**Departure: 09:00 London/ Heathrow**

**Arrival: 11:00 Washington/Reagan National**

**Passenger: Rebecca Stinson**

**Passenger: Parker Booth**

          ' _Father's Day weekend. How appropo_.' He thought with glee as he moved to his computer to create a program.


	11. The Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is folks...what will Brennan and Booth say to one another? What happens? Keep on reading and keep those reviews coming.

            Angela was working on Brennan's laptop in her office.  She moved as fast as she could, but it was more time consuming as she had to use her opposing hand for most things. She was about to give up when on a hunch, she went straight into the C: drive instead of by folder. She flipped through and almost gave up when she saw a document named  _Lister was taken by the doctor._

            "Lister? She usually just names the files after the book's title." Angela almost skipped past figuring it was from her latest novel, but something told her to look further. Clicking on the file, she opened and saw what seemed to be paragraphs from another novel. For several minutes she skimmed through. As she read each passage, she felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. Then she saw one that made her pause.

_As she walked down the halls, the events of the last several months flew back at her…..being charged with a murder she didn't commit, her friends at the lab being terrorized for assisting her case, and her on and off struggles with Lister after getting back from being on the run. All came back to the same thing…..Anton._

_This genius was the smartest person she ever met and it seemed that no matter what they did….Anton found a way to circumvent their efforts. To say that it was frustrating was the tip of the lake. Kathy was feeling something she hadn't felt in a long time….defeated and alone._

            Angela got a sick feeling in her gut as she realized the details matched recent events and of  _that_ day. Then she saw something stopped her in her tracks.

_"I'm his partner! Booth's supposed to trust me!" she moaned as another wave of fresh tears came out as all the feelings she had been bottling up came out in a wave. She hugged herself tightly as if she did this the feelings would go back inside, but it was too late for that._

_When she was finally spent, Kathy took another look around, wiped her eyes, and got up to go back. What she needed to do could come later….when she knew what that was._

            "Kathy's partner is Lister, not Booth!" Then it all dawned on Angela. "Oh shit….Anton is Pelant. That son of a bitch. Max!"

            Max came into the room. "What did you find?"

            "Look at this," She said while pointing at the laptop.  She watched as Brennan's father read it and knew he came to the same conclusion.

            "Brennan knows, Max. I think Cam was able to get through to her, thank God, but all of this stuff has brought all those feelings of being abandoned back. She's also afraid to talk with anyone because of Pelant, so she is trying to deal with her feelings in the only way she knows how….tuck it away deep and put in a novel to avoid suspicion"

            Max felt his insides sink, but he knew this was not the time for self-pity. "So Booth wants to tell her but can't. Tempe knows something, but she has a lot of stuff to get through before she will even listen and she can't even tell anyone because of this asshole in case he finds out. What the hell do we do now?"

            Angela suddenly perked up. "I have an idea, but I need copy this file and get anything else she may have added."

            Max looked at Angela. "And how do you propose to do that young lady?"

            At that moment, they heard the door open.  "Dad? Angela?"

            "Trust me, Max, I can get it, but you need to distract her for a minute, now!"

            When Max left the room, Angela went as quickly as she could into her purse, pulled a flash drive out, inserted, and saved the file.

            Brennan was in the kitchen looking for her father when she saw him come out of her office. "Dad, why are you in my office?"

            "Nothing. Angela was here checking her mail and she was showing me something."

            Before he could block her path, Brennan walked towards the back. When he got near her office, Angela came out. "Hey Sweetie."

            "Did you find Hodgins yet?"

            "No, he's with Booth. I just got a text from him. Booth's bringing him here and we're going to take my van home."

            The room got quiet as two pairs of eyes started staring at Max, including a set identical to his. He knew when to cut and run. "I'll just get Michael ready for you, Angela," He said before leaving.

            Before Brennan could say anything else, Angela took the offensive and hoped to get Brennan's original copy of her novel/diary. "You haven't given me your novel to edit or put good stuff in for you, yet…"

            "I thought I would try on my own this time." As upset as she was with Booth, he did inspire some passages that may be interesting for Kathy and Andy.

            "That's fine, but you know your pop culture isn't the greatest, Honey," Angela said, determined to get a hold of what she knew was the complete diary.

            Brennan calculated and figured she covered her tracks with the diary/novel so that her friend would not figure it out and she had it on another USB drive at the Jeffersonian. Knowing not giving to her would get suspicious, she dug into her purse, retrieved it, and gave it to Angela.  At that moment, both ladies heard the noise of the front door opening and footsteps.

            ' _Later'_  Angela thought to herself when Booth and Hodgins came into the kitchen.  _'I need to make things right with the man I love'_

            Hodgins took a tentative step forward. "Hi, Ange."

            Angela walked forward and took his hand. "Let's take our son home, Honey. I need to talk to you."

            As Hodgins nodded, Max came in the room with Michael. "Hey here's your mommy and daddy.

            Michael ran to his parents. Hodgins was about to pick him up when he thought of something. "Hey, buddy, how about I hold one hand and Mommy holds the other so you can show everyone what a big boy you are."

            Booth and Brennan observed the scene before them, noticing Angela had tears in her eyes as she took her son's right hand and Jack had his left.

            "Bye, everyone," Hodgins said as they walked out of the kitchen and out the door, leaving Booth, Brennan, and Max.

            Max noticed the tension between the remaining couple and thought fast. "You know what. I bet you two would like some alone time, especially after helping Hodgins and Angela with whatever they had going on."

            "Dad, we're fine—"

            "No, I think I will take my granddaughter for another walk." Max looked at the clock. "Wow, it's almost 6:00. I think I will take her to McDonald's for dinner and let her run around for a while. Yeah, I think I will do that."

            He left the room before either could protest. They heard him getting their daughter ready and then yelled, "I will have her back around 8:30 in time for her bath and bed."

            Outside, Max hurried to his car. Making sure Christine was secure he got in on the driver's side. "Okay sweetie, Mommy and Daddy need to get it together, and we are going to eat fries. Yes!" He started the car and pulled out before either parent tried to stop him.

* * *

            Booth and Brennan circled one another before planting themselves on opposite sides of the center island. Neither knew how to start.

            "Parker sent me--"

            "The Jeffersonian rec—"

            Both turned shades of red. "Bones, you go first."

            "No, Booth, you go first."

            "Bones, I insist."

            Knowing how Booth felt about _'ladies first'_ , Brennan gave in. "There were four sets of skeletal remains found on the Antietam battle ground this week. I've been asked, along with Doctor Edison to go over the bones and present any findings to the annual meeting of the American Board of Forensic Anthropologists in Philadelphia on June 19th."

            "June 19th is next Wednesday. How long would you need to be gone?"

            "It would be best for me to leave on the 16th so I have time to prepare with Doctor Edison."

            "Parker gets in with Rebecca on that Saturday, and then Sunday is Father's Day….June 16th."

            Brennan felt guilty because the day slipped her mind. "Well, you need to have your Father's Day so I can leave on the 17th in the morning."

            Booth felt another little piece of him die when he realized she forgot Father's Day. "Okay, we can do that.

            He then realized the other topic he needed to broach with her and dreaded it. "Parker asked me about a wedding date."

            Brennan felt her insides turn to jelly as she remembered their brief engagement. To keep her hands busy, she got a glass from the cupboard and filled it from the tap. "Why didn't you tell him, Booth?"

            Booth felt relieved he could be honest about something. "I thought things would be settled down by now. It was stupid I know."

            "He's going to be here next weekend, Booth! It's bad enough that you changed your mind about marrying me and won't give me a good reason, but then you lie to your son about it!"

            "I thought that things with Pelant would be over and that we could move on, Bones! It just wasn't the right time to get married."

            Almost immediately he saw that was the wrong thing to say as he saw her eyes get large and her cheeks start to get flushed. Alarms were going off in his gut. ' _Uh Oh…..'_

            Suddenly before Booth could react, Brennan threw the now empty glass she was drinking from at the wall behind him, shattering it into many pieces, almost hitting him in the process.

            "Bones, what the hell did you do that for? What's wrong with you?!" he yelled before he could stop himself.

            "You want to know what's wrong, Booth!" Brennan sucked in a quick breath before continuing. "I will tell you what's wrong. I KNOW!"

            Genuinely confused at the moment, Booth did the only thing he could do. "Know about what, Bones? I don't know what you're talking about?"

            "I KNOW ABOUT ALL OF IT, BOOTH! I KNOW THE TRUTH!"

            Brown met blue as suddenly Booth realized what she was referring to. His first reaction was relief with her knowing why he broke the engagement. As he continued to watch, he saw the blue eyes he loved ice over until her face was a blank mask. He could face an entire group of armed militants in Afghanistan to his one and still not be as afraid as he was at this moment.

            Any thought of Pelant overhearing the conversation was forgotten as he continued to stare at Bones. He began to move towards her but stopped as she spoke with tears forming in her eyes, making the blank face crumble.

            "Was this because I took Christine when I left last year?"

            ' _Oh no,'_  Booth thought.  "God, Bones, no"

            "Why would you do something like that to me? You made me feel things I never wanted to feel again. I trusted you! I trusted you with my life…my body…my heart."

            She couldn't stop the tears from forming or the words from coming out. "You made me believe in love, Booth, so I let my guard down. But you shut me out….you abandoned me…and could only offer bullshit as a reason why."

            Brennan saw the man she loved more than her own life walk towards her again and held her hand out.  Quickly, she walked out of the kitchen.  "No, stay away.  If you love me like you say you do, you need to stay away from me right now"

            "Bones!"

            Brennan grabbed her bag and hurried towards the door. "I can't look at you right now," She cried before running out the door and slamming it.

            Booth could only stand frozen as he heard a car start and pull out of the driveway. After the shock wore off, he walked to his liquor cabinet and poured himself a Scotch. He moved to take a drink but stopped himself. Gently sitting the glass down, he walked towards the stairs and headed up.

            When he got to the bedroom, he passed his side of the bed and headed for hers. After he laid down, he held one of Brennan's pillows close to him, taking her unique scent in. Then, he started to purge himself of all the self-loathing and terror he felt at maybe driving away the love of his life forever as the tears fell in sobs.

            Brennan was driving aimlessly as tears came down her face. She didn't know where to go or what to do. All she knew was she couldn't stop crying as weeks of pain, hopelessness, and agony came to the surface all at once. Before she knew it, Brennan crossed the Maryland state line and just kept going.

 


	12. Max To The Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the title to this chapter gives you a clue...so how does Max try to help? Keep your fingers crossed for Max!
> 
> Now on with the story.

            " _Booth_?  _Tempe_?"

            Booth was asleep when he heard Max’s voice.  Waking up, he realized where he was and why.   Reluctantly, he opened his eyes to a room darkened by the curtains.

            "Booth?!"

            "Heard you the first time, Max!" Booth bellowed back as his head was pounding but attempted to open his eyes. Suddenly, he was blinded by the sudden sunlight peeking through the opened curtains and put his arm over his eyes.

            "Son of a bitch, Max! What the hell did you do that for?!"

            Max, holding his granddaughter, looked over and saw Booth and the shape he was in. "Well, you look like shit."

            Booth's only response was pulling his left hand out from under the pillow and flipping his middle digit at him.

            Max ignored the gesture. "Whatever, I'm bringing my granddaughter back. We had fun, but someone needs to give Christine her bath now and put her to bed." Max continued to look at Booth. "Obviously it won't be you. Where's Tempe?"

            Booth took a deep breath for a moment and considered lying, but knew the old rhino had an awesome bullshit detector. "I don't know Max."

            Max played dumb but had a bad feeling things came to a head. He felt too sorry for the man to make fun of him. ' _No wonder he looks like shit. I'll be damned…he cried, too.'_  

            "Come on Booth, let's go downstairs."

            "I'm not in the mood for a Max Keenan pep talk right now. I need to give Christine her bath and put her to bed."

            "You're not getting a pep talk. I'm going to put your daughter in her crib and we're going downstairs for a bit. You will get your ass downstairs or I will come back and drag it down there. Capische?"

            Not in the mood for a fight, Booth got up, squinting his eyes from the sunlight as it aggravated his headache. "Fine, but make it quick. Christine needs to go to bed."

            "Don't worry about it, Booth. Now get down there and I will be there in a few minutes."

            When Max was satisfied that Booth was downstairs, he put Christine in her crib. "Looks like Grandpa has his work cut out for him. Be back soon for your bath and a story," He said before kissing her on the head, making her smile.

            Booth was sitting on the couch when Max walked downstairs to the kitchen. A few minutes later, Max came back with a plate, a wrapped item, two glasses, and Booth's bottle of Glenlivet. He put the items on the table. "Shit, forgot something."

            Max returned with a bottle of water he sat on the table. He opened the bag to a beautiful Italian sandwich that he purchased for a snack later that night. However, he decided Booth needed it more. He put the sandwich on the plate and then poured two fingers of Scotch in each glass. Seeing Booth's eyes bug out, Max jumped in. "Don't worry I have a new bottle in the kitchen."

            He put one glass in front of Booth. He then reached in his pocket and dumped two pills out of a bottle and put them with the nearby water.

            "Take these with the water. Eat that. Then drink the Scotch. I need to give Christine a bath and put her to bed. I will then check my messages. Then we are going to have a chat. I swept your house earlier and turned off all electronic items. We have something to discuss Seeley Booth and I want it when you've eaten and settled down."

            After Max walked away, Booth looked at the sandwich. Usually he would have had a hard on for it, but nothing mattered now. He knew Max wouldn't leave him alone otherwise, so he began to eat.

* * *

 

            Brennan continued to drive, but her thoughts wandered to different places. She knew that rationally Booth did the right thing. With Pelant and his ability with computers, plotting their strategy has been difficult if not almost impossible to stay one step ahead of him. Rationally, she knew that Seeley Joseph Booth would never intentionally hurt her like that. He had issues of his own abandonment and abuse by his father that came to the surface at times, but were always able to deal with together.

            But the irrational always seemed to overtake her rational thought. The fact that she has been more tired than usual lately didn't help matters. The last few days it seemed it took all she had to stay awake, but she was also dealing with a great deal of stress.

            The irrational part of her always brought up the fact that people before Booth always left her. Her parents and her brother leaving her in foster care during her adolescence all but destroyed her faith in people. The people, specifically men, who entered her life always told her the words, but when it mattered, they never got past her breasts or her skill in the bedroom to really get beneath the surface…until Booth and her friends at the Jeffersonian.

            Until she came to the Jeffersonian, she could protect herself from being let down. People always left, so she always kept a piece of herself to herself so she wouldn't be lost. Angela, Hodgins, and even Cam over time helped chip away at her outside. Booth was the one who stayed with her until her walls finally came down. Their timing over the years was always off, but in the end it was a tragedy that brought them together.

            She and Booth worked every day to maintain a connection. It wasn't always easy, she knew because they were almost polar opposites. When she took Christine when she was wanted for murder, it was the hardest thing she had ever done. Not only did she do what she swore she would never do, she left behind the one person she loved more than herself, the one she always trusted, and the only one besides her Christine and Parker she would die for. If it did anything to him what her family leaving did to her, she not only crushed his spirit, but almost killed him, metaphorically of course.

            They stumbled when she returned. She couldn't let herself relax with him. They were walking on eggshells with each other. Finally it took a fight during a case that hit close to home to let their feelings surface. He felt abandoned and angry because she left and took three months of time away from Christine that he will never get back. Considering the way Rebecca was with Parker when he was born it was emotionally devastating for Booth.

            She didn't know what her issue was. After Mr. Abernathy pointed out how their initial resolution could be the calm before the rain, she did something uncharacteristic. Needing help to know why, she went to Sweets. He helped her understand that subconsciously she was rebelling against the fact her happiness was not from her alone anymore, but dependent on Booth and their children.

            She assumed things were settled, but what if they weren't? What if deep down, Booth still resented her for what she did? She knows rationally that he was honest with her and loved her completely, but the irrational took over again. He realized when he accepted her proposal that he made a mistake and didn't want to hurt her with the truth that he  _did_ resent her even though he knew how she felt about lying.

            She looked at her clock on her car…10:00 PM. Then she saw the state line as she entered Virginia. She realized that driving aimlessly across the Eastern United States wasn't the answer. She couldn't face Booth or his lies yet.

            No, that wasn't true. She was afraid he didn't want to face her again, especially after exploding like she did and throwing a glass at him. He could have been injured….his beautiful brown eyes…the ones that gave her the ability to see inside his soul, something that only in the few years she truly learned to do and appreciate.

            Brennan wanted to cry again but was spent. She also wanted to hide away but knew it was only avoiding the inevitable. She took the exit to go to Alexandria, Virginia. She needed to go back. Not to the house, but somewhere where she could regroup and decide between her anger and her needs.

* * *

            Max gave Christine her bath and got her to sleep. When he came downstairs, he saw Booth sitting with his head on the back of the couch and his eyes closed. He saw that the sandwich was eaten and the Scotch drank. Satisfied, he came down and sat across the younger man.

            "I can hear you Max. Okay, let's have it."

            "What, Booth?"

            "Max Keenan's Words of Wisdom. Any advice you give me can't possibly piss Bones off more than anything I said and did tonight."

            Max got up and grabbed a nearby bag and walked it back over. He went to open it, but changed his mind for the time being. "Look at me, Booth."

            "Why."

            "Because I said so. Now do it!"

            Booth exhaled and inhaled slowly, followed by slowly moving his head to face the older man. Max saw the pain in the young man's eyes, making him more determined. ' _Pelant will get what's coming to him if I have anything to say about it._ ''

            He decided it was time. "I know what happened, Booth."

            Wary, Booth thought his words out carefully. "What do you think you know?"

            "Cut the bullshit. I swept the place and it's clean. All your wireless is turned off. I know what happened to the engagement. I know it was that shit bag Pelant that made you do what you did."

            Booth was frozen. He had been suffering in silence for over several weeks now to the point where he wasn't sleeping or eating and it showed. When he weighed himself today he lost fifteen pounds since this all began. He looked into eyes identical to Bones's. Max Keenan was many things, but this was something he would not lie about. His wariness was enveloped by relief as tears came out and he put his head in his hands.

            Max gave him time to adjust to the situation. He knew what it was like to be relieved of stress caused by secrets. He knew the next questions would be coming when Booth finally took everything in, so he sat patiently.

            Booth wept for a few minutes and then sat staring at the floor. ' _Thank god someone else knows now.’_

            Suddenly, his relief gave way to questions, one in particular _. 'How did Max find out?'_  

            He was a clever man, but no one is that clever. He raised his head slowly and looked to the other man. "How did you know, Max?"

            Max knew that this wouldn't go over well, but it had to be said. "I suspected something was off right away. You can be a pain, but you would never intentionally hurt Tempe. The night Angela was in the hospital, when I stayed the night in the man cave, I overheard you two talking. I heard you say you wanted to tell her something, and then the phone rang. Who the hell calls at five in the morning, anyway?"

            He waited for a moment to let this sink in with Booth, and then continued. "When the coast was clear, I walked out into the kitchen and saw you….upset."

            Booth looked up suddenly, feeling violated. "You spied on me!"

            Max held his hand up. "There's more"

            Booth greeted that with a ' _How much worse can this get?_ ' look, but Max continued. "I saw your notebook and figured something was in it.

            Booth felt sick inside. That notebook was the only thing right now he could trust implicitly that could not by touched or manipulated by Pelant. He documented not only strategy, but his very soul. Having them read was bad enough, but to have it done by Max Keenan only pissed him off more.

            "Where the hell do you get off reading my private thoughts?"

            "I do because something was wrong and I intended to fix it any way I know how. You don't like my methods, tough shit. If I could have done it any other way I would. You think I liked reading that? You think I want people reading my shit? I respect your privacy Seeley Booth because you respect mine in turn, but when a pissant motherfucker like Christopher Pelant comes in my daughter's life and tries to destroy it, privacy goes out the window. Something had to be done to get around his computer crap. I had to recruit help this time."

            "Who did you con this time? Or do I not want to know?"

            "Don't worry about it. Want my advice?"

            Booth, still annoyed, looked at the older man. "No."

            "Tough, you're getting it anyway….think of this conversation as practice for Christine in about 10 years."

            Max took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Have to admit, at first, I didn't like you Booth. You were self-righteous and a major pain in the ass, but I saw how much you loved my daughter, even then. I have seen this dance you two have been doing for several years now and at this time you are at a crossroads."

            Seeing Booth rolling his eyes, Max pointed at him. "Quit rolling your eyes, Agent Booth. I may not be your parent but I will smack you upside your head just the same…..don't think I won't do it."

            Suddenly, Booth changed his countenance to Max's satisfaction. "That's better. Where was I, oh yes. The crossroads. This isn't your first time here with her, nor will it be your last."

            Max got quiet for a minute. "Christine…Ruthie and I had those moments. I had days where I was sick to death of her. There were days I know she wanted to dump my ass. We fought….oh did we fight. We had obstacles that not even Tempe or Russ know about."

            Booth saw tears swimming in Max's eyes and heard his voice break. "We almost gave up several times, but we never did. We fought for each other and for one another when the other couldn't."

            Max sniffed up mucus and saw Booth's face of awe. "Oh quit staring will you? It's just allergies."

            He got up and walked back to where his bag was and took out a three ring binder full of paper. He walked over to Booth and threw it in his lap before his phone buzzed. Max picked up the phone and smiled at a text from his latest lady friend.

            "Max, who is texting you this late?" Booth said before holding up his hand. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

            Suddenly Booth's phone buzzed. He picked up the phone. It was from Bones.

_**I am fine. I need to be alone right now and process all of my thoughts** _

            Booth felt a few tears form in his eyes, but then remembered the notebook in his lap. He looked up to see Max getting ready to walk out the door. "Max, what is this? Where are you going?"

            Max turned to him. "I am going to my car grabbing my emergency travel bag because I'm staying here tonight. You on the other hand, are going to take this book, grab a beer, and go sit in the treehouse. But you will read all that tonight. When you are done, you will go and do what needs to be done and not before."

            "What are you going to be doing? Who's going to take care of Christine?"

            "I am Bonehead. Now get moving!" Max saw Booth hesitate. "Now!"

            Wanting to get him off his back, Booth got up. "Fine, since I have nothing to do but think anyway. This shit better be good Max Keenan."

            "Oh it is…it's the best," Max said.

            Getting a grunt in response as he heard the fridge open and close, followed by the back door closing. He got out his phone and sent a text to Angela.

_**Your turn**_  


	13. Angela's Turn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now it's time for Angela to work her magic with Bones. Can she succeed?

            After getting the text message from Max, Angela tried contacting her friend but got no response.  Frustrated and worried, she drove around Washington D.C. hoping to find Brennan.  She checked the diner, Founding Fathers, and every place she could think of.

            She was now going to her final option, which is where she should have gone in the first place. Looking down on her front seat, she saw the stack of papers she bound together with the handiest thing she had, a friendship bracelet.

            When she arrived at the Jeffersonian around 11:00, she saw Brennan's Prius. "Yep, should have come here first. Duh!"

* * *

            When Angela walked into the lab ten minutes later, she looked in Brennan's office. When the sensor light came on she saw the anthropologist’s purse on her desk and her lab coat missing.  When she came out, she saw a light on in the Bone Room.  Turning off the office light, she headed that way.  At her arrival, she looked in and was not disappointed.

            Brennan was wearing her lab coat and was examining a femur bone from a skeleton laid out on the table.  Angela could tell she had been crying.  She waited for her presence to be noticed, but got nothing.

            Seeing how focused her friend was, she called out not to scare her.  “Sweetie? Why are you here?"

            Brennan turned to Angela. "I wanted to examine one of the skeletal remains we received from Antietam. I have to present my findings on the 19th to the American Board of Forensic Anthropologists in Philadelphia."

            "No Bren….why are you really here?" Hearing only silence, Angela walked in. "Bren, let's talk in your office. Come on."

            "But—"

            "No Bren. Soldier Boy will wait for a day or so. Put him away and we're going to your office now.  We are going to talk."

            Knowing she wouldn't be left alone otherwise, Brennan put the skeleton away.  After removing her gloves, she followed Angela into her office.  After she took off and hung up her lab coat, both women sat on the couch.

            "Bren, what happened?  Max got a hold of me when no one could track you down. He said Booth is a complete wreck. What the hell happened after we left tonight?"

            Brennan couldn’t bear to fall apart again, so she steeled herself and took a breath.  When ready, she spoke.

            "We talked about this presentation I have to give.  I was going to leave June 16th, but he reminded me it was Father's Day before informing me that he never told Parker about breaking the engagement.  I confronted him on his procrastination and when he responded, I….threw a glass at him before telling him that I knew the truth."

            Angela knew she had to tread carefully. "The truth about what, Bren?"

            Brennan turned to her friend with a mask of indifference. "The truth about why he broke the engagement and the fact that he lied to me."

_'Oh thank God'_  Angela thought. "Sweetie, did he tell you why he lied to you?"

            "No, but I know he lied because of Pelant. He made me feel worthless and made me feel all those….feelings again. He didn't have to say a damn word, Angela. I told him that I knew and then I walked out the door. I just…..couldn't be around him. I needed to get away from him."

            Brennan took another breath as she felt the tears well up again. She needed to stay clear headed and rational after being irrational for the last few hours. Clear headed and rational thoughts were needed to keep her from getting irrational again and for her eventual conversation with Booth.

            Angela was stunned by Brennan's indifferent attitude before the annoyance kicked in. "Don't you think you should've let him explain his motivation?  I mean I know Pelant is everywhere, but you two couldn't go outside or leave?  Max had Christine."

            Brennan couldn't help sounding aloof as she was doing war with her emotions versus rationality.  She was so sensitive lately and was tired of it.  Clenching her fists to control herself, she looked her friend in the eye.

            "Of course not. I knew what happened and why. I wasn't going to let him give me excuses. I needed to get away so I could think rationally about the situation."

            ' _How can she be this way_?' Angela thought as she looked to her friend, astounded at how cold she seemed.  Unable to keep her thoughts to herself, she pushed forward, not caring to keep her irritation in check.

             "So you think Booth has just been sitting around all this time trying to find a way to think of the best excuse he could come up with?  That's your reasoning?"

            Brennan didn't miss the bite in her friend's voice. "He lied to me, Angela. He broke my heart and lied to me for weeks, letting me think that it was my entire fault.  I felt like I lost a piece of my life that I would never get back.  I did not deserve that. Besides, you have no idea what I am feeling right now."

            For Angela, that did it as she stood up, infuriated. "Temperance Joy Brennan, where the hell do you get off telling me I don't know what loss is?!  I know what loss is. You want to know how I know?"

            The artist grabbed a nearby pad of paper and pencil and tried to sketch a picture, but her limited mobility in her right hand and arm only made scribbles. She then tossed the pad at Brennan.

            "Look at that…it's crap! I used to be able to draw a picture of anything from my mind.  No matter what life threw at me, whether it was when I broke up with Hodgins or facing the fact my son might be born blind, I always, ALWAYS had my art. It's not just something I do, it's what I am!  What bones are to you, art is to me!"

            Brennan could only sit in silence as Angela continued her tirade. "My art is not just drawing pictures, Brennan. It's not just playing with programs on a computer. I didn't just draw things I saw. I drew my happiness….my anger….my frustrations….my dreams….my life."

            Angela started to cry. "I didn't just lose an ability to draw some lines…I lost a part of me, too.  A part of me I may never get back. I hope to God I do, but I have to be prepared to never be able to do what I could do ever again."

            “I’m sorry I offended you, Angela, but—“

            "You, on the other hand, have your dreams, your frustrations, your happiness, and yes, sometimes your anger….your life with a wonderful man who worships the ground you walk on. He knows your faults and your imperfections, and he still loves you more than his own life. I also know Temperance Brennan that you feel the same way about him. He was someone you only dreamed about and didn't expect to have, but you do. Not everyone finds their soul mate. We're lucky that we both found that person."

            Angela sat down on the coffee table, spent. The fact that her friend's steely resolve was starting to crumble kept her going.

            "I have a guy who will stand by me no matter what. He proved that tonight when he hugged me and said he loved me no matter what…that he just wanted me to share his life with him.  A man that I spewed venom at earlier, calling him a fucker more than once. You can have that too, Brennan, if you would get off your high horse."

            Brennan gave her a confused look. "I'm not on a horse."

            "It means get over yourself!  You have a daughter who needs both of you. You need to do whatever it takes to fix things. Love isn't always easy, Bren. Sometimes it's hard and it's messy, but in the end it's worth it."

            She saw Brennan opening up, but not enough to her satisfaction. To get through, she needed to be a bitch.  She hated it, but knew it would the final push needed.  Grabbing the makeshift book, she tossed it next to her friend on the couch.

            "You want to give up on Booth so easily? You want to have your pity party and pout? Do it without me, but read that. It will tell you what you couldn't behoove yourself to stay and listen for."

            The anthropologist could only watch stunned as her best friend turned and stormed out of her office and the lab.   She realized that she got it with both rifles blazing before another war with the irrational and rational began in her.

            Seeing the book Angela left, she realized the rational thing to do was to read it.  She just hoped it gave her the peace of mind she needed…and the way to fix the divide between her and Booth.


	14. The Truth Comes Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos. Please continue to review...this is how I know I am doing a good job.

            Booth sat in the tree house and looked around, the only light from the lamp his girlfriend put out there the night it was finished.

            He wanted it ready for Parker this summer, so he recruited Wendell and Finn to come over every Saturday to work on it with him.  Fisher helped once, but he got too annoying for Booth to deal with.  Arastoo he didn't ask because he knew weekends with Cam were their only time to be together.

            He remembered the day it was finally done.  Christine was spending the night with Max and he convinced Brennan to sit up in the tree house with him.  Eventually, he demonstrated his "technique" he would have used on a neighborhood girl back in Philly if he ever had a tree house of his own. Of course, the demo turned into an all-nighter.

            That was almost two months ago.  _'Right before the shit hit the fan.'_  he thought to himself.

            Booth opened the binder and started reading the first page. As soon as he read the first few paragraphs, he recognized this was a manuscript of Bones'.  Not understanding why Max was so insistent on him reading this, he pressed forward. As he started to read further on, he started getting a feeling of déjà vu.

_Kathy decided she wanted to make breakfast that morning. She knew it was Lister's thing but she wanted to use the skills she learned while she was on the run after being framed by Anton. She wanted to assert her independence._

_As she finished the pancakes, Lister came into the kitchen. Instead of the joke she expected, he got annoyed with her. It seemed like she couldn't do anything right since she got back._

_It would also manifest when Lister would get angry when she would let him know that something he wanted to do with their baby wasn't necessary because she tried the activity while on the run. Did he stop loving her? She didn't know._

            Booth suddenly realized that this wasn’t just her latest novel….it was a diary that she put in novel form.  Feeling like that he was violating his girlfriend's privacy, he put it down and closed it.  Obviously, she did it this way to hide it from Pelant.  It was the right thing to do, he told himself.

            Then he remembered his rational Bones irrationally threw a glass in anger.  As he played that scene back in his head it dawned on him.

            The binder wasn’t just a new novel.  It became clear to him that if she discuss her feelings in her own persona, then her pain was much greater than he realized.  He recalled her then asking him if he broke the engagement off and lied because of her taking Christine. 

            ‘ _Did she really think that?’_ Booth thought.

It made him sick realizing that he somehow gave the impression that he had not moved on from that.  He forgave her months ago for taking off to protect herself from Pelant.  Of course after her abandonment, there was no way Bones could leave her child behind.  He understood how hard it was on her to take Christine from him with an uncertain return.

            He finished another chapter with the following passage:

_Kathy knew her crying over the tiger to some would be irrational, but to her it was devastating. Her travels over the years introduced her to many fascinating animals. Animals felt the same things as humans and she regarded them as such. Others she knew felt they were nothing more than money and it disgusted her._

_He called her a wild tiger…..rare and beautiful. She was at a point now where she accepted the love given to her by Lister, including the compliments. She knew that was one of Lister's ways of saying how much he loved her and how in his eyes she was the most beautiful woman there was._

_She didn't see it, though. She knew she was attractive to men, but all she saw was how adipose tissue concentrated in different areas of her body now that she had given birth.  Her buttocks seemed to be larger than before, as were her hips and thighs. She was still in the normal range for her BMI, but she had to work harder to maintain it. Her eyes were a mere blue while Lister's were a beautiful chocolate brown._

_But he didn't seem to care…..and it made her forget those imperfections….for a while….almost._

            Booth became annoyed. "What fucking imperfections?!  Has Bones' weirdo magnifying thingies made her eyes goofy?  She is the hottest woman there is, bar none. Hell, her tits alone would put anyone to shame."

            As he thought of her body, Booth got a faraway look on his face. "That ass….her thighs of steel…"

            He felt himself stiffening up, and started naming saints to calm down. He may have nailed her in the tree house, but he refused to rub one off there because some things were sacred.  After several minutes, he began to function again.

            "But her eyes are what make her Bones. I can see her emotions, when she is turned on…her soul.  All that other stuff is gravy."

            Fascinated and needing to know how the story ends, he kept reading. Maybe he could find a clue to make Bones love him again. He wanted to keep her safe, but he may have lost her love for good.

            If he lost her, he would make himself physically survive for his children.  However, emotionally he would die and he knew it.

* * *

 

            Brennan finished her latest crying jag. The last week she had been so tired and little things had set her off.  She knew though that her stress levels were through the roof the last several weeks.  When she calmed herself, she kept going back to Angela's words earlier. 

            ‘ _Was she being self-centered? Was she wrong to be angry and hurt?’_

 She couldn't help her feelings….she experienced them.  Logically and rationally, she understood that Pelant was always there, but wasn't there any way Booth could have told her?  Irrationally, all she felt was hurt for him letting her think it was all her for all that time that almost killed her at times.

            Realizing she couldn't put it off any longer, Brennan grabbed the book Angela left. She opened to the first page.

_My life sucks right now. The one thing….the one person that made things complete for me is distant….and it's all my fault._

_Temperance Brennan may just be a forensic anthropologist to some, an author to others, professor to students, but she's more than that to me. To me, she's my life._

_I dreamed of her from Day One. I saw her on that lecture platform and I was done. She was most definitely not my type and totally out of my league, but it didn't matter. Her hair was a dark auburn like the sunsets when we would go to Pop's cabin up by Erie. Her manner of dress was very prim, but it wasn't hard to imagine what she would look like underneath and feel like with my hands and lips._

_But when I got closer, it was her eyes that did it. They were the bluest I ever saw, like the clearest sky in God's heaven. There was mystery there and it hooked me._

_When we spoke and she stated she was the best, I should have been put off.  Instead, I saw it as a challenge. I knew from then on that she would be the standard for which any other woman would be compared._

_Back then I was what she would call a degenerate gambler. Life was merely day to day with a son I never got to see and nightmares from my sniper days I had to relive on a nightly basis. She made me want to be better so I went to my first GA meeting.  Going further, I channeled my inner maverick by wearing crazy socks and realized to be the best FBI agent I could I needed to expand my train of thought. I needed her. I needed Temperance Brennan in my life. She saved my life the day we met._

            Brennan felt a tear fall from her eyes. Booth always told her how attracted to her he was and his feelings, but she simply nodded her head at him. People do not have ' _love at first sight'._ As she told him that day, it was ludicrous.

            She was able to admit to herself that she felt a pull to him from that moment also, but pushed it away with logic.

            Reading further, she saw items from previous cases. When she got to one passage, she froze in terror that still angered her to this day.

_I refused to believe she would be dead. I couldn't believe she was dead. I just knew I had to find her. I was a shit to the lab people, especially Zach, but no one understood. I had faith and I would not stop until I found her. The Gravedigger would not win. I couldn't lose her._

_I saw the puff of smoke coming out of that field in Virginia and knew my God had come through. I pulled her and Hodgins out of that hole and could only hold her and thank God for my prayers and for bringing this weird scientist lady into my life. I think that was when I knew I loved her. I was attracted sure, but it was that moment when I almost lost her, I knew I couldn't go on without her. I knew she was in pain and had walls.  However, at that moment, I was determined to tear them down no matter how long it took._

            With each passage she read, tears began to fall and she felt sick as she realized the depth of pain Booth must have suffered during these last several weeks. Brennan felt she was violating Booth's privacy but she couldn't tear herself away as she read further on.

_We sat in the diner talking after the case. People being horses for sexual gratification was just pathetic. Bones thought I was being a prude, so I had to prove her wrong._

_I told her all about lovemaking and what it meant. She didn't know it then but when I stated how two people became one, I meant it for her. I wanted to give her that. I wanted to show her how much I loved her, how before she settled for mere sex instead of making love._

_I wanted to demonstrate all of my love for her through worship of her entire body with my lips, hands, tongue, and eventually my cock. She completed me, and I wanted nothing more than to tell her my feelings, but I knew she would go running for the hills. I couldn't lose her and I was willing to take what I could have, even if it was merely friendship._

            Later another entry caught her eye.

_The night we made love for the first time made my world complete. The fact that someone had to die to make this happened made me sad, but I believe that God had a plan. I also believed in what I told Bones earlier when she asked why God would take someone away who didn't want to die._

_I was determined not to take advantage of her after losing Vincent, but when she looked into my eyes, I knew. Her imperviousness was gone and at that moment, all my anger was gone. I had my life in front of me and I need to show her how much she meant to me. I was going to war later and I wanted her to know if I didn't come back how much I loved her._

_She let me remove her last barriers and I saw her naked and it just blew me away. She bared not just her body to me but also her soul and I wanted to prove to her it was not in vain. Another wall broke down when she told me I was the first to touch her without a condom. She not only loved me, but offered her trust to me and I was damned if I would violate it._

            Brennan was in awe of what she was reading. She knew the depth of his feelings that night also and remembered how she felt. Giving herself to him that day was something she never regretted.

            She didn't believe in fate, but remembered hearing from Booth once about how when someone dies another life begins. She blew it off as illogical, but she would wonder from time to time if a new life meant to the one with Booth at the loss of Vincent Nigel-Murray. She would never admit that to anyone.

_The day she asked me to marry her was a dream come true. I told her the truth that I wanted her marriage or not. However, to be joined with her not only by law but also by God was a wish I kept tucked away. I figured that since my previous proposals went south that being her life partner and lover was what was meant to be and I was truly okay with that. She had given me her heart and a beautiful daughter who is the spitting image of her. God only knows I better keep my handguns loaded when Christine starts dating._

            Brennan couldn't help but laugh at that last comment but sobered up as she continued to read.

_I wanted to tell Pelant to fuck off, that I wouldn't let him run my life, and that he was a coward. Then his sentence became crystal clear. Five innocent lives. He said five innocent strangers but I knew that wasn't true._

_He would take away Pops, maybe Jared, Padme, or Max, but would save the worst for last, my beautiful children and my soul mate. I need to go before her because I could never survive losing her to death. I couldn't go on without her and that son of a bitch knew it. He used a good kid's private files and works to do that. Sometimes I think Sweets looks up to Bones and me as the closest thing to surrogate parents he has since his adoptive parents died._

_To tell her I didn't want to marry her killed me. The only thing that kept me going throughout was the knowledge that I would someday get Pelant. I didn't want to lose Bones, but if I lose her because she hates me at least Christine has her mother and she would be alive to live a long life. That would be worth any pain I would live with._

_On paper, we are so wrong for each other. She's analytical, very blunt, and totally ignorant on pop culture. She is so much smarter than me with three doctorates and at times she makes me look like an idiot. But she can't help that she's a genius and doesn't do it intentionally. I like sports, pop culture, and only have a bachelor's degree, but it doesn't matter. I can't see myself with anyone else. She completes me and if I couldn't have her, I would rather be alone or dead._

_I pray to God that someday she can forgive me for what I've done. If I lose her, I will at least have Christine and Parker and remember the two best years of my life. She will be what I will wake up to and she will be the last thought in my mind when I go to sleep to dream of her. I love Temperance Joy Brennan and I will until the day I die._

            Brennan laid the journal open on the table. She stared in space for what seemed like eternity until she looked at the clock and saw it was 3:00 AM.

            She wiped away her tears and got up with a new determination. Grabbing her messenger bag, she ran out of her office without turning the light off. She had to find Booth…..she needed to make things right.

            She just hoped she wasn't too late.

* * *

 

            Booth finished the last page of Bones' book with a slam. His body was drained of tears that he cried for the misery he put on the woman he loved. Suddenly, determination hit.   

            Grabbing the journal, he tossed it on the ground before turning off the lamp and climbing down.  He ran through his back yard to the door. When he got in, all the lights were off so he used all his willpower and walked carefully to avoid waking up Max and Christine.

            Silently he slipped to the man cave and moved to his new custom made Philadelphia Eagles couch. Opening it, he took the item he hid there and ensured it closed completely. Holding the box and the journal he turned around and noticed the clock. 

            3:02 AM.

            He hurried as quietly as he could. He went for his keys, but at the last minute grabbed Max's, leaving his SUV in the garage. When he got outside, he ran to Max's Jeep and took off. He had to find Bones….he needed to make things right.

            He just hoped he wasn't too late.


	15. Moving Forward

** 4:00 AM **

            An annoyed Booth pulled into the Jeffersonian employee garage. For the last hour, his goal to find Bones was impeded starting after he stopped at the store to pick up something for her.  First, it was a car accident on Wisconsin Avenue. When he finally got past that, a torrential downpour came that slowed him down further.

            When he got out of the Jeep, he took off in a run before stopping halfway to go back to get his access card to the Medico-Legal lab.  Taking off in a run, he raced the entire museum area, barely noticing the night security guard.

            "Hi Micah…..bye Micah."

            When he got to the lab, he slid his card in a rush and ran through the darkened area to her lighted office. His excitement dampened when he saw that no one was in there. When he ran to the Bone Room, he was only greeted by darkness.

            He walked back to the office and sat holding his item for a few minutes, his right leg moving like a sewing machine. After five minutes he went to the ladies room and didn't find her, he walked back defeated.

            ' _I could have sworn this would be the first place she would go. Doesn't matter now, gotta go find her.'_ Booth thought to himself.

            Determined to find her, he hurried back out the door. Pelant would not win.

* * *

 

            A determined Brennan pulled into their driveway, not even reaching the garage. An accident on Wisconsin forced her to take a detour home before getting hit with the massive rainstorm that had soaked her to the bone by the time she got to the front door.  Anxious, she fumbled with the door lock, making it seem like hours by the time she got the tumbler turned.

            Running into the dark house, she hurried to the bedroom and left a wet trail in her wake. Not finding anyone, she ran downstairs and was stopped in her tracks when she saw her father asleep on the couch.  Quieting her steps to avoid waking him, she wondered where his automobile was as tip toed to the man cave.

            Seeing that room empty, she got discouraged for a moment before remembering Booth's words in the journal.  Briskly walking out the front door, she then ran for her car before tripping on the front walk. When she looked she saw that she had a tear and blood on her trousers. Ignoring the pain in her knee she simply got back up again, got in her car, and took off.

            When the room was clear, Max smiled in his sleep and muttered, “About damn time, Tempe."

            Christopher Pelant watched on his monitor as he observed Brennan fall and then get back in her car. Whatever it was must have been good to leave Agent Booth alone in the house and take off. He enjoyed seeing his work of late.

            Divide and conquer. One of the oldest strategies in war.

            He looked then at his next target. He admired her for pushing past from where she came from to get to where she was at now.  However, it was impeding him and he couldn’t have that.

            The fact that she chose to be with a Muslim…share her bed with someone like that disgusted him. To get her out of the way, he needed to get him out of the way. Removing the Muslim along with the next obstacle way would make his dad proud of him.

            His dad didn't acknowledge him and he understood why. He wasn't what his dad wanted, but when he got rid of the other man, his dad had to love him.  Then and there he had to acknowledge him as HIS son.  He would admire him for the work he put in and would see the error of his way in denying him.

            Pelant heard a beep and realized his program was done. He moved to put in the final sequence when his left arm would not move. He struggled and he sweat as he put more effort into it for his arm to only sit there. He turned his body only to have his left leg move very slowly also. After several minutes, he was able to move himself and used his right hand to input in another series of numbers. He got halfway through when he realized that his mind was a blank.

            “Damn it!”  He yelled.

            After realizing that it was futile, he decided to relax and get some sleep. He noticed his episodes of paralysis were increasing in length. It was upsetting but had to put it aside because he had a job to do.

            Besides, the anthropologist left the house alone…she had no idea Pelant was pulling the strings and never would.

* * *

 

            A defeated Booth came back to the lab.  He drove to the diner, the Reflecting Pool, the Lincoln Memorial….anywhere he could think of, to no avail. His instincts keep telling him to go to the lab, but she wasn't here. 

            It was then that nature called. "Okay, I'll piss, then sit and think. Luckily no one is in the lab on Sundays except the intern on call."

            Booth dropped off his stuff in Brennan's office and then walked to the men's room.

* * *

 

            A frustrated and soaking wet Brennan returned to her office.  Sitting at her desk feeling defeated, she wanted to turn the light off but didn't have the strength to get up and do it.  Grabbing the partially wet journal, she hugged it close to her before noting the time on the computer.

            4:47 AM.

            Her frustrations over the last several weeks and her futile search spilled over as she started to cry again.

* * *

 

            Booth left the restroom and was greeted by the sound of weeping. As he got closer to the sound, he realized that the sound came from his girlfriend’s office. Seeing her light on, he rushed in and was greeted by the woman he loved crying at her desk.

            Brennan didn't hear but sensed. She looked up and saw the light of her happiness. He looked as tired and weary as she was, but it didn't matter. She loved Seeley Booth and needed him to know that.

            ' _Pelant be damned_ ' she thought.

            Booth saw Brennan running towards him from behind her desk and he rushed to meet her. Words were not needed as they kissed away the bad feelings and hurts of the last several weeks.

            Wordlessly, Booth moved Brennan to her couch. As they stood in front of it, each removed their clothes in a rush. When both were revealed to the other, Brennan laid on the couch, followed by Booth. He began to worship her body with kisses from her ear all the way until the juncture between her thighs. His hands cupped her breasts lovingly as Brennan simply gave in feeling the love Booth was showing her. After several minutes of sensual kisses upon her, Brennan reached her limit.

            "Booth….I need you." she croaked. "Please."

            He could never refuse when she pleaded.  Moving up her body, he felt her warm, wet core on his abdomen and knew it was time. Slowly, he entered her and moved in a slow, luxurious rhythm which felt like heaven to him. When he felt her nails on his back and her hips moved in an increased pace, he moved to keep up with her.

            Brennan felt worshipped as he moved to her frantic pace as he amorously kissed her lips and neck. The only thought going through her mind was of how she missed this and him. When she felt him suckle on her breasts again, she was on fire. She could feel her walls constrict around his member and knew she was close.

            "Booth….I love you…."

            That was all he needed as he grabbed her hand and clenched it by her head as he crossed the edge with her. When the wave was completed, they looked into each other eyes and knew the truth.

            They would be okay. The center would hold and together, they would defeat Christopher Pelant once and for all.


	16. The Conversation

            Booth and Brennan laid together on the office couch covered by the afghan, each in their own thoughts. Words needed to be said, but each were afraid of breaking the moment. Finally, Booth got his courage up.

            "Bones?"

            Brennan remained snuggled into Booth with her head in her familiar spot on his chest. "Yes, Booth?"

            Booth moved Brennan to sit upright. She gave Booth the afghan and she reached across the end table to grab Booth's shirt. He couldn't help stiffening up when he saw her in his shirt with the swell of her ample breasts teasing him. After taking a moment to think of saints, he managed to forget for a few minutes.

            "Bones…I'm sorry….I'm so sorry."

            "I know, Booth."

            Booth moved to close the blinds. No one was there usually on Sundays but he didn't want to take a chance on giving someone a free show of Brennan to someone they knew. He inhaled for a moment as he thought how to phrase his next question and decided simple was best.

            "Bones, how did you know?"

            Brennan took Booth's hand and squeezed. "It was the night you and Angela were in the hospital. Earlier in the day, Cam found me in my office and proceeded to lecture me about how I needed to find out why you broke the engagement and to put my panties on."

            Missing Booth's ' _huh'_  face, she continued. "That's what we were doing at the hospital that day you found us. She took me out to a location where Pelant couldn't find us or know what we were talking about. When we were there, she had me look at the situation rationally without any emotional issues. I treated it like one of my lectures as she made me write out everything that happened that day…..she let me cry, Booth because the events of the last few weeks….t-they were suffocating me.."

            She waited a moment before continuing. "While you were getting your tests done in the emergency room, I took a walk to look at things rationally. I went outside to the garden and I sat and enjoyed the quiet. I could have done without the cherub staring down at me."

            Booth gave her another quizzical look but she ignored it to continue. "I cleared my head and thought of nothing. I am unsure of how long I sat there, but it was all of a sudden that things started to make sense.”

            “What exactly made sense, Bones?”  Booth said as he combed her hair back from her face.

            “You're Catholic…your God considers us living together a sin. Rebecca wouldn't marry you years earlier and it upset you. Hannah turned down your proposal and it made you so angry."

            Brennan got sad for a moment, then continued. "I felt this wave of relief because….I did wonder….was it me?  Did you no longer love me?  Did you realize that you were still angry about me taking Christine and didn't want to upset me by making up another reason to not to marry me?"

            Booth moved to comfort her, but she held her hand up. "Booth, let me finish".

            Brennan waited for her boyfriend to sit back down before going further. "After about a minute, the relief turned into anger. You lied to me….you made me feel…these feelings I had….feelings that I thought I had gotten passed. It made me remember how I felt when my parents left. I was feeling these emotions but it wasn't from my mom and dad, or Russ, but from you."

            Brennan felt tears swimming in her eyes. "You are the one person I knew would never leave….and you did….emotionally."

            Booth’s heart hurt as he watched Brennan wipe a tear away.  He wanted to comfort her, but he knew that she had something to say.  After all he did, she earned the right to speak uninterrupted. 

            "I couldn't talk to anyone about it because I couldn't verbalize it to anyone without fear of Pelant finding out. I also couldn't because I didn't understand what I was feeling. All I knew was that I was so angry at Pelant, myself, and you."

            Booth couldn’t hold back anymore.  Grabbing the woman he loved, he caused the blanket to fall as he took her in a hug to comfort her.

            "I'm so sorry, Bones that I made you feel that way. I wanted to tell you so badly but I knew Pelant wouldn't just kill strangers….he would have come after you, Parker, and Christine.  As much as I wanted to tell him off, I thought about my sniper days all over again. I had to take lives, Bones, lives I still think about every day. Pelant knew that from hijacking Sweets' files and he used it knowing my history. I couldn't forgive myself for putting my happiness above innocent people."

            “I know, Booth.”  Brennan said as she caressed his face.  “I know and I understand.”

            Booth watched Brennan as he pondered for a minute, but decided to reveal what he knew. "I read the book, Bones."

            Brennan was confused. "What book, Booth?  Do you mean my manuscripts?  You know I don’t like you reading those until they’re done and it’s not possible because the flash drive in my purse."

            "No Bones, the diary, about Anton…."

            She froze and lost all color to her face. Booth saw it and was afraid he went too far. "I'm sorry, Bones. Your father got it somehow. He must have had a copy and sent me to the tree house tonight to read it. I'm glad I did, though, especially to tell you I like where your _adipoopy_  tissue is and your eyes are not a  _mere_  blue. They are a stunning blue….blue as the sky in—"

            "As the clearest sky in God's heaven. My hair was as auburn as the sunsets at Hank's cabin in Erie."

            It was Booth's turn to freeze and turn white. "W-wait, how did you know that?"

            Before Brennan could tell him, realization hit as he remembered Max in his office earlier that day. "It was Max, wasn't it?  He got ahold of my notebook. I knew he was up to something."

            "Max and Angela. I imagine they are how you got possession of my writings."

            _'Now I don't have to shoot him.'_ Booth thought as he laughed. The old rhino came through for them.  "Thank God, Bones for nosy family and friends."

            "Yes, it was a good thing we have people who care enough to get up in our feces."

            Booth sat confused for a moment before cracking up. "It's get all up in our shit, Honey, but close enough."

            After about a minute, Brennan got serious. "Booth, what do we do now?  Do we get married?  Do we put our plans on hold until we find Pelant?  Indefinitely?"

            Booth felt sadness in her tone and in himself. He knew what he wanted to do, but wanted to feel out Bones' feelings first. "What do you want to do Bones?"

            Brennan got quiet for a minute. "I think that it's logical that we do not get re-engaged while we are looking for Pelant."

            Booth hated it, but she was right. "I know…you're right…Pelant is still out there—"

            "But…"

            Booth lost track of thought. "But what, Bones?"

            Brennan straightened her shoulders.  "But the illogical, irrational part of me says get married and just…screw Pelant!"

            "Bones….did you just say ' _Screw Pelant'_?"

            "I did, Booth. We wasted six years….six years we could have been together instead of being afraid. I do not want to waste anymore."

            Booth felt his heart glowing as he smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way, because I feel the same."

            He got off the couch and went towards the bag by the table. He pulled something out and gave it to his girlfriend.  Brennan looked at it unsure of what Booth's plan was.

            "Tofu jerky?"

            "Yes, Bones, tofu jerky" He replied.

            Nude, he got up and walked to the desk where his pants were hanging off the edge. Pulling someone out of the pocket, he held it behind his back as he walked over and stood in front of Brennan.

            "Bones, I love you. I would die for you. I want to spend the next 30, 40, or 50 years with you bickering about weird anthropological stuff, how to handle Christine dating without shooting anyone, having more children, spoiling grandchildren…..living our lives."

            Opening the small box, showing a silver band with two small sapphires and one small diamond slightly recessed into the band next to a set of wedding rings.  

            "Bones, this was my grandmother's engagement ring.  Pops gave me this and their wedding bands right after he met you for the first time. He said I was to give them to the woman I intend to marry. When I decided to propose to Hannah, I should have used these, but I didn't.  For the longest time, I didn't understand why but now I do.  Pops gave this ring to his soul mate and wanted me to give it to mine. Hannah wasn't it….you were and are. You complete me."

            "Oh, Booth…"

             Booth got down on one knee and removed the engagement ring from the box.  Holding it out, he took a deep breath. 

            "Temperance Joy Brennan….will you marry me?"

            "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes Seeley Joseph Booth, I will marry you in front of your God so we can be a legal husband and wife in the District of Columbia!"

            She jumped into his arms, each hugging each other so tight afraid to let the other go.  When she let go, Booth slipped it on her finger and it fit perfectly.

            “Wow, it’s like I was meant to wear this, Booth.”

            Booth held back his emotion as he pulled out the wedding ring set.  Lifting each so the inside could be seen, each had the following engraving:

            **_HB_ _ & MB 6-13-48_ _._**

            "June 13, 1948 was their wedding day.  To use these would mean the world to me, but if you prefer me to get another wedding set, we can do that—"

            "Be quiet Booth. We will do no such thing."  Brennan gently admonished.  "From the stories Hank has told, he and your grandmother had a great love. They were friends, lovers, parents, companions and so are we. I would be honored to wear Marie's engagement ring and their wedding rings."

            They admired the engagement ring on her finger before Brennan voiced her thought that she was certain Booth agreed with.

            "Booth, we need to do this quickly and quietly so Pelant doesn't find out."

            "You're right, Bones. So let's do what we do best…..come up with a plan of attack."

             Brennan and Booth tapped their heads together as they sat on the couch admiring the ring on her finger again. They knew she would have to wear it around her neck or leave it at home for the time being, but for now, she could display it proudly.

            Pelant may be smart, but they and the rest of the squints, including Sweets were smarter. They would need everyone's help to pull off their biggest adventure yet.


	17. Planning The Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know who the owner of the B & B is, look it up on Google. Eagle eyed readers will know. Picture Fisher related to him/her? LOL. It is not a real life connection, but one that I thought would be awesome for my story.
> 
> Any connection to the Inn Boonsboro in this story is all fiction.

** JUNE 14 Boonsboro, MD, 1:30 AM **

            Brennan dropped on the bed sweaty but sated. Booth dropped a moment later next to her in a similar state. He moved so that his head was resting on her abdomen. Brennan began to play with his hair.

            "Booth, I have to say you are a very intelligent man….in many ways."

            Booth couldn't help but smile from the compliment. "What many ways are those, Bones?"

            Brennan laughed. "You used subterfuge successfully to get us this room at this beautiful place, but it’s also by the Antietam battlefield.  That way, we maintain our cover since I do have to examine findings from there to present next week in Philadelphia."

            "Hey you also used subterfuge for the big thing today, or yesterday….that was also very impressive."

            "How did  _you_  get us the room so Pelant wouldn't find us?" Brennan asked.

            "Fisher's aunt is the owner.  She’s a rich novelist and friends with the woman who owns where we had the reception." Booth winced for a moment. "Sorry I had to use some of your money. Hodgins only had so much on hand since the guys only just got their first royalty payments for the hot sauce."

            Brennan looked as though something started to make more sense. "That is why you were so agreeable to Fisher helping us. How did you know about his connection to the inn?"

            "He, ah, told Wendell a while back" Booth shook his head momentarily. "According to Wendell, he said it was the epitome of romance since the area had stories of men dying leaving women behind to produce a generation of fatherless soldiers. Only Fisher would find love in that."

            "What about Mr. Bray and Mr. Abernathy? Where are they and Mr. Fisher staying?"

            "Fisher, Wendall, and Finn got rooms closer to the battlefield at a hotel paid for by the Jeffersonian since they are assisting you with the Antietam stuff and to keep it as normal as possible. Plus I sure as hell wasn't going to have Fisher or the other squints near me for our wedding night."

            "What about Cam, Angela, and the others?"

            "Max has all the kids back at the house tonight. Arastoo, Finn, and Michelle acted as DDs to get everyone back home so it wouldn't look suspicious. I was told to tell you it was our wedding present from Finn, Michelle, and the other interns."

            "But people staying here as guests are going to recognize us here, Booth. How do we get around that fact?"

            "We are the only ones staying here, Bones until Saturday. The owner was reluctant, even with Fisher but once he told her your name, she changed her mind. If we couldn't get this place by ourselves, you Dr. Temperance Brennan are here for a dig at Antietam for a presentation next week. You only wanted the best accommodations."

            "She rented us the inn with just my name? The proprietor doesn't know about today, does she?"

            "No Bones. She did just made one small request."

            Brennan narrowed her eyes. "What's that, Booth?"

            Booth steeled himself for protest. "The owner is a fan of your books and she only requests after payment for you to autograph all her copies of your novels she has in the library."

            Brennan sat, slightly annoyed, but knew that she needed to be nice to her fans and it wouldn't hurt her to sign some books.”

            "Okay, that sounds fair." She said before kissing Booth. "I do have to ask though, why the Nick and Nora Suite?"

            Booth looked at her in surprise. "Nick and Nora Charles? The Thin Man?"

            He was greeted with confusion and realized he shouldn't be surprised. "Nick and Nora were a sexy married couple who were also detectives who lived with their dog Asta. Created by the one and only Dashiell Hammett."

            "But then who was the Thin Man?"

            Booth knew when to quit. "Never mind, Bones. Now I have a question for you.  How you got the Jeffersonian to close on a week day?"

***/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/***

            _Booth and Brennan decided after Sunday’s breakfast to marry on June 13 th in honor of Hank and Marie.  The day after the engagement began a 72 hour whirlwind as close, trusted friends were brought together to help two people they love pull off an important mission._

_Some, including Daisy Wick and Doctor Oliver Wells had to be left out of the loop. The former always meant well, but her mouth had a hard time controlling herself.  As for the latter, her still had some bridges to mend with people at the lab and his diarrhea of the mouth rivaled Ms. Wick's._

_The ones trusted felt guilty about lying to others, but getting Pelant and protecting innocent people had to be considered over hurt feelings._

* * *

  ** JUNE 10 7:30 PM **

            Brennan, Angela, and Cam arrived at a pedestrian mall in Beckley, West Virginia. After parking the rental car, the three women make a show of window shopping on the street before entering a shop.  The owner was an old friend of Angela and as a favor, the shop owner was staying open late tonight for a private shopping party.

            After about an hour, Brennan saw the exact dress she was looking for. After getting the thumbs up from the other women, she tried it on and by happenstance, it fit like a glove. Suddenly, happy tears started to fall from all three women.

            The shopkeeper couldn’t help but cry, too.  She saw this all the time but each time it happened it struck her as amazing. When the crying ceased, she helped the other two women find dresses of their own.

* * *

** JUNE 11 – J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING – CONFERENCE ROOM 1:00 PM **

            Booth was in the room with Sweets, Deputy Director Sam Cullen, and Alex Radzwell. Alex had a file in front of him as did Cullen, Sweets, and Booth.

            "So we are all agree here?" Booth looked to all three men, who nodded.

            Alex did rather reluctantly. “I don't see why I have to hang onto a copy of this.”

            "Quit moping, Alex, you owe me one for getting you that warlord from Sierra Leone last year."

            "I still say if you all are so paranoid of this Pelant guy, get a better firewall, but fine. I will be on the lookout and make sure this goes in a safe place."

            "You better, Alex." Cullen spoke up. "If you don't and something happens to piss off Dr. Brennan, I am coming after you."

* * *

** JB ANDREWS – MARYLAND - 4:30 PM **

            Booth, holding Christine, stood with Brennan at the terminal. With the looming threat of Christopher Pelant it made them hyper sensitive everywhere they went, even at an US Air Force installation.

            The agent called in a few favors and Brennan had to give Rebecca money to reimburse her for the cost of the previously purchased ticket.  It was worth it, though because to do this without him would be wrong.

            The three watched the Air Mobility Command plane land on the tarmac. After several tense minutes that seemed to take for eternity, smiles lit up the faces of the Booth-Brennan household as Parker Booth ran through the terminal.

            "Dad! Dad! I got to see the cargo hold and where the guys wait for jumping out of the airplanes. It was so cool!"

            Booth hugged his son while holding Christine with the other arm. "I missed you so much Buddy!"

            "I missed you too, Dad. Hey Christine!" He then turned and saw his favorite person. "Bones!"

            Both came together in a crushing hug. Booth took it all in and felt tears well up in his eyes. ' _To think I might have married Hannah and missed out on all this'_

            After composing himself, he walked over to Brennan and Parker. "Okay, who's hungry?"

            He laughed when he was answered with Bones' and his son's simultaneous _'Me'_. “Parker, you choose…where are we going?"

            "Home."

            Seeing the adults surprised faces, Parker laughed. "I want Bones' Mac and Cheese. No one makes it like she does."

            "Well okay then." Brennan said as she took Christine from Booth's arms. "Before we go, your little sister wants to show you something."

            Booth and Brennan put Christine a short distance from Parker and let go. To the boy's amazement, Christine walked to him smiling.  The teenager picked up his sister and hugged her, the realization that he was missing out on his little sister hitting him hard.

            _‘Maybe Mom will let me stay here from now on. London is cool, but I want to be a big brother.'_

            Hearing his stomach rumble in time with his father's, Parker looked up. "Mac and Cheese time!"

            "It's Mac and Cheese time, Bones." Booth said as he put his arm around her. He knew the display of affection was pushing it but he wanted to keep things as normal for Parker as possible.

            "Okay, Booth men, lead the way. I'm a bit hungry myself."

            As the four walked out the door, Brennan felt another moment of queasiness in her stomach. Pushing it away as stress from Pelant, she readjusted her attention to her daughter and her two favorite men as they got into Max's Jeep and left for home.

* * *

 

            Later that night, Brennan and Booth laid together in bed and quietly conversed.  They turned off all their wireless in their home, using only the burner cells Max gave them with better software to avoid another Pelant attack. Parker got frustrated, but Booth told him it was because of a computer virus in Bones' computer.  The teen accepted it, but both adults knew it wouldn't last.

            "Booth, maybe we need to tell Parker the truth."

            "No Bones, he doesn't need to know that there is a menace hanging over our heads, at least not yet. I want our time with him as good as we can get it. I'm just glad he was able to come home early."

            "We could not have done it without him." She turned to her fiancé. "Booth are you sure with how we are doing this? I know you have certain traditions which includes where it takes place."

            Booth kissed her head. "No Bones, because what we need will be right there. The spirit of the event will be happening. Places don't matter….only the people gathered together."

            He contemplated for a moment. "You're right, Bones."

            Puzzled, she asked her question. "About what, Booth?"

            "Parker….he should know. I know we told him he can't mention the wedding due to the fact we want privacy with the press, but eventually that excuse won't hold. How about telling him after we get back from Philadelphia next week? It's only a week and I want him to be relaxed for a while. I would like to spend time with my children on Father's Day without that worry, too."

            "Of course, Booth. I think that is best." Brennan replied as she snuggled closer to Booth while yawning. It seemed like the last couple of weeks she was just so tired.

            ' _Probably because of all the slamming to get everything done before Thursday'_   She rationalized.

            Suddenly a thought came to her. "Booth, did Caroline get it today?"

            "She took care of it today and it's in my office in a locked drawer. Apparently she is old friends with the judge and he's a big fan of Temperance Brennan books, so he waived the waiting requirement. Plus we don't have to file it right away but Caroline reassured me that things will be legal when we are able to file it."

            "Good. So what is the plan for Thursday?"

            "I am leaving around 2 pm to pick up Pops and then meeting up with Sweets.  Hodgins said he would pick up Parker at Max's and then meet us. Just pray with me that there's not a last minute body."

            "Booth, I can't pray for something that does--"  Brennan’s words were interrupted with a full yawn before she felt Booth’s laughter on his chest. "Does not exist and quit laughing, Booth."

            Booth bit his lip. His Bones was so cute sometimes. "You need to get some sleep—"

            "No we need to discuss final details."

            "My end is covered. How about yours? Where are we doing this?"

            Brennan smirked. "Don't worry Booth….my end is covered, too. I'm all over it with a wet towel."

            "Wet dish rag, Bones. Wet dish rag. When do I get to find out where?"

            "At the right time. We just have to, um, tread carefully, that's all."

            Booth exhaled deeply. "Okay, have a feeling I don't want to know. I just hate keeping this secret, you know. I'm sorry Pelant is doing this to us."

            "I know, Booth, but it's okay"

            "Bones, you deserve better."

            "I do, Booth. I have you..and I also have Christine and Parker. Didn't you just say that the spirit of the event is important, not the location or details?"

            Booth chuckled. "I did, didn't I?"

            "I'm sorry Jared won't be able to make it." She said in a sleepy voice.

            "He wanted to but Padme's due any day now. He did tell me it was about damn time." Booth's smile turned sad. "I'm sorry all of Russ's family can't make it with Hayley in the hospital again, but at least Emma can come."

            "Bones?" Booth asked when he didn’t hear anything.  Looking over to her face, he saw she was fast asleep with her head on his chest.

            He continued to watch her sleep from his limited view. It seemed crazy but it was like he loved her more each day and was grateful they could be together. Together, they along with their friends can take down Christopher Pelant.

            He turned the wireless back on from his end table, hit the bedside light off, and held his fiancée close as he drifted towards dreamland.

* * *

** JUNE 12 - 7:00 PM BRENNAN & BOOTH'S HOME **

            Brennan and Booth were sitting down to a quiet evening when all of a sudden there was a knock at the door. Parker was playing his Wii in the man cave. Emma, picked up from the Amtrak station a few hours earlier, was in the Anthropologist cave listening to music.

            "Wonder who that could be?" Booth said.

            At that moment, there was another knock at the back door. Suddenly Brennan's phone buzzed. She looked and saw the message.

_**I'm at the back door, Sweetie. Help me**_

            "Angela's at the back door."

            While Brennan went to the back, Booth went to answer the door.  Opening it, he was greeted by Sweets. "Sweets, what are you doing here?"

            At that moment, Booth heard noise. He turned around and saw Brennan followed by Angela, Cam, Caroline, and Agents Sparling and Shaw.

            "Sweets, get him out of here.”  Angela said.  “You two are expected elsewhere."

            "Angela what is all this?"  Booth asked.

            Angela pointed her right finger at Booth. She had been making more progress and was able to raise her arm two more inches.  "You are needed by my husband."  She said cryptically, being careful due to Pelant hearing before pointing to her guests. "We are here for a girls night."

            Angela then turned towards the caves. "Parker! Emma!"

            When they came out, Angela kneeled to the boy. "Parks, would you prefer to hang out with us girls or do you want to hang out with Finn tonight?"

            "Finn!  He’s cool!" Parked exclaimed.  He liked the squintern because he said silly stuff but he always brought cool gross stuff from his classes and played video games and stuff.

            "Did someone say my name?" Finn Abernathy said before coming out from behind Sweets.

            The intern moved around to the teenager and high fived him.  When done, he pulled out several DVDs behind his back. "Parker, I got the entire Friday the 13th movie collection!"

            "Whoaaaaa!"

            Brennan was horrified as she knew about the movies from watching with the boys several months back. "Booth!"

            "Bones, he's twelve….it's what twelve year old boys do." He turned to Finn and Parker.  "Man cave and clean up your mess afterwards."

            "CHA CHA CHA CHA KILL KILL KILL KILL.." Finn and Parker said before heading to the man cave.

            "Okay boys, get out." Angela admonished before turning to the other teenager. "Emma, you get to hang with us if that's okay."

            “Yeah, that would be fun.”  The shy girl said. 

            “In the living room ladies.”  Angela said before taking her unofficial niece’s hand.

            "Come on Booth, we are heading to the Jeffersonian." Sweets said pulling on Booth's shirt.

            "The Jeffersonian? This better be good, Sweets." Booth muttered as he was dragged out the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo, does the wedding get pulled off? Find out in the next chapter.


	18. The Wedding

** JEFFERSONIAN MEDICO LEGAL LAB – 11:30 PM **

            Booth's bachelor party was in full swing at the lab.  _Good_ by Better than Ezra was playing on a nearby IPad as several air hockey tournaments were being played on the platform on tables covered with air hockey boards to not damage the equipment.

            On the ground was a buffet table with nachos and other munchies made in Hodgins' incubator.  Nearby was a bowl of tequila and a micro beer made from more of the entomologist’s lab equipment.

            Max put down a shot of the tequila after arriving back from running Pops back to his apartment.  Sweets picked the elder man up earlier to surprise Booth.   The agent’s grandfather had a blast at the air hockey tables.  However, between the late hour and the sampling of Hodgins' beer, he got tired.  He decided to stay with Brennan’s father to avoid the bridal shower tonight.

            On the platform, Wendell was playing Fisher on one table. Arastoo was up against Aldo in another game, while Hodgins was playing Max.  In chairs below the platform sat Booth and Sweets, who were _'eliminated'_ earlier. The agent was drinking the beer from an Erlenmeyer flask while Sweets was sampling Hodgins' tequila in a Graduated flask.

            "Oh wow, this stuff is good…..do I want to know where he got the agave?" Sweets asked

            "Nope" Booth replied. "Just like I am not asking where he got the hops and other items for this beer. This is really, really good."

            Setting down his beer, he grabbed a bottle of Hodgins and Finn’s hot sauce from the floor and dumped some on his nachos before taking a bite.  "Damn this really is the best hot sauce I've ever had. Hodgins gave me a year's supply for a wedding present. Gotta try this stuff."

            Unsteadily, Booth waved a nacho dripped in cheese and hot sauce to Sweets.  The younger man took a bite and a moment later grabbed his flask of homemade tequila to wash away the burn.

            Booth started laughing. "You're going to regret that. That is potent shit. That is why this is my last drink of the night. I'm 42 years old and I am buzzed off three hits of tequila and three beers. Getting too old for this shit."

            "It can't be that bad….whoa." Sweets groaned as he started feeling the alcohol. "Okay, all done with that."

            Booth sobered himself up enough to ask the question he had wanted to ask all night. "Sweets, I need a favor."

            Sweets was leaning back in his chair. He was sober but wouldn't be much longer as he was starting to have problems with focusing. "Sure, Booth, how can I help you? Did you know that there's two of you?"

            Seeing Sweets start to feel the effects of the alcohol he chugged, he made it quick. "Will you be in my wedding? Parker is my best man and Hodgins is standing up also and I would like you up there also if you are interested."

            Sweets sat stunned, Booth's question momentarily sobered him. "S-Sure, Booth. I am more than happy to sub for Jared, but I need a tux."

            "Yeah, Angela hacked into where you bought your last few suits and got your measurements. It's waiting for you tomorrow."   He hesitated, but continued. "Sweets, I am not asking you to substitute for my brother. If Jared could be here, he would be a guest.  I love my brother very much, but we don't have the best relationship…"

            He inhaled and spoke fast.  “…and _you’re_ the _little_ brother _I_ never _had_ even _you_ are _annoyin_ g as _shit_.”

            Sweets sat in stunned silence as Booth chugged his beer. The man he looked up to said he considered him a little brother and cared about him. "Booth, do you really—"

            "Sweets, if you get all touchy feely and keep talking about it I will take it all back."

            Sweets knew to quit when he was ahead. "Sure, Booth it would be an honor."

            "Thanks."

* * *

** JUNE 13 – 9:30 AM **

**"** Come on, Man why can't I make the call?"

            "Because you will probably spout out some freaky shit and they'll all know it's you calling. If we mess this up, Dr. Brennan will have our heads."

            "I will do it."

            "No way, why does she get to do it?"

            "Because she has the gun and we don't."

            "Fine." Fisher pouted.  When he was out of earshot, he muttered, "I got them the rooms, I should make the call."

            "Thank you." Wendell said while ignoring his colleague's last words.

            The intern gave the burner cell to Genny.  She dialed a number and when she got an answer, she stated her rehearsed response before quickly hanging up. The three of them couldn't help but laugh before running off from the alley and down the city blocks towards the Jeffersonian.

            Christopher Pelant noted the three people leave the alley and run down the road. Out of boredom he was going to inquire further, but he heard a beep.  Turning around, his monitor showed a Green Card application. He smiled a one sided grin, but suddenly got frustrated when he couldn't get his left hand to type in the sequence he needed for five minutes. When he was finally able to make his hand work, it was painstakingly slow, but the results he wanted were complete.

            "Get rid of this enemy, then after a few more things, I will get him out of the way and Dad will be proud of me. No one to compare me to."

            Cam was in her autopsy suite giving Daisy some particulates to examine when her phone rang.  The pathologist noted the time and quickly ripped off her gloves to answer.  "Dr. Saroyan?...when….where. I will right away. Goodbye."

            She quickly hung up and walked over to Daisy who was collecting bone particulates from the body on the table. "Ms. Wick that was security. There was a bomb threat called in."

            “Oh my God.  Doctor Saroyan.  We need to—“

            _'Thank God she's in the dark or we'd be screwed'_.   Cam thought to herself in silent prayer when she saw the intern's hyper response starting.  "Ms. Wick, chill!  Now, calmly get the interns and techs together and exit through the main doors. I will go get Doctors Hodgins and Brennan, her niece, and Angela and we’ll head out the back way."

            "I can help you with getting them out of here. I am you—"

            Cam gave her the _‘Do it now’_ look, stopping Daisy in her tracks.  Quickly, the intern ran out and got people around before leading them out. The pathologist then made a show of walking to Hodgins' office.

            Angela came out and saw the confusion before walking across the hall to the Bone Room where Emma was shadowing her aunt for the day as they examined a clavicle.  "Bren, Emma, are you ready?"

            The women were removing their gloves when Cam and Hodgins met up with them. The group walked out a seldom used exit which led to a vacant lot with two rental cars. One had Arastoo at the wheel and other one was unoccupied.

            Brennan took charge. "Doctor Hodgins, do you know what you and Mr. Vaziri need to do?"

            "Arastoo and I are to head over to Max's, grab Parker, and meet up with Sweets, Booth, and Hank.  Should we leave Christine and Michael with him for the time being?"

            "Yes, Dad knows when to meet up with us later, but Parker needs to make sure his suit fits."

            Hodgins turned around to see Arastoo and Cam making out through the driver's side door. "Oh come on, can't you do that later--"

            When Cam turned around with a look, Hodgins stuttered. "…ma'am?"

            "You're lucky we're pressed for time, Doctor Hodgins.  When I get the call from Micah, I will call you guys to return here and we can all set up."  Cam said while walking back to the other car.  

            As Hodgins got into the car with Arastoo and left to complete their tasks, the ladies got in the other car.  "Okay, what's first?" Angela asked.

            "Get the FBI Crime Scene Van for transporting our items to the Jeffersonian." Brennan said before putting the car in gear and leaving.

* * *

  **JEFFERSONIAN - 6:00 PM **

            Brennan and the girls were in a room on the lower rotunda floor changing into their dresses. The anthropologist saw Emma in her chiffon dress and was glad she and Russ made the decision they did on who was to attend tonight.

            Hayley was ill and needed her family, but Emma deserved experiences of her own at her age. Age fifteen to her was her parents abandoning her. She wanted better for her niece.

            She then saw Cam was helping Emma put on her jewelry. Her bridesmaids were wearing the same dress except Cam had tank sleeves and Emma had cap sleeves. The cobalt blue color set off the skin tone of both women beautifully. Brennan appreciated all the help the pathologist gave in the last few days, knowing the risk to herself and Arastoo as well as the entire team from Pelant.

            The relationship between herself and Doctor Saroyan had come a long way from their first meeting. They could still butt heads at times, but over time, they grew to have a wonderful friendship.  _'My cerebral friendship'_ Brennan thought.

            Brennan then turned and looked at Angela as she was getting her final adjustments on her sage green chiffon dress.   She had cried with this woman, yelled with this woman, and even inadvertently was under the influence of methamphetamines with this woman. Much like her relationship with Booth, on paper it was not one that should work, but in real life, each complimented the other beautifully.

            ' _My heart friend.'_

            When Angela was free, she walked over and hugged her with her left arm. "Thank you, Angela. Thank you for being my best friend and telling me to get off my horse."

            Angela laughed. "High horse, Honey. It's _'get off your high horse'_ and its okay. That's what friends are for."

            Seeing the time, she looked over to the other ladies, then over to Brennan as she handed her the bridal bouquet. "Ready, Bren?"

            "Absolutely."

            When there was a knock at the door, Cam answered it to Max.  “Max.  Come in.”

            Max said before seeing his granddaughter. Walking over to her, he hugged her.  "Emma, you are so beautiful."

            "Thanks, Grandpa Max."

            "Cam, you are lovely, as are you, Angela". When he saw Brennan, he had tears in his eyes. "Tempe, you are so beautiful."

            Brennan was wearing a pale gold dress with demir stretch satin that skimmed her curves beautifully with embroidered lace and beaded embellishments in a pale ivory that set off her skin.

            Max composed himself and then walked over to his daughter. "Now I know you have something new and borrowed, Angela said."

            "Yes, as per the superstitious tradition, I have these new earrings and the toe ring that Angela was wearing when she married Hodgins. Also, my matron of honor painted my toenails blue last night. But no one would let me try to find something old."

            "That was my fault, Tempe. It was because I wanted to give you this."

            Max opened a box and Brennan was speechless when she saw a sterling silver necklace with a sapphire drop dangling in the center. When she remembered where it came from, tears welled up in her eyes. "Mom's necklace."

            Max sucked up the tears forming in his eyes. "She wore it when we got married. Our ceremony was much simpler than this one, but it was so beautiful on her. Now, it's your turn to wear it. Someday, Christine can wear it."

            Brennan inhaled sharply to hold back tears as Max put it on her neck. After he kissed her cheek, he turned to the girls. "I will let them know."

            Closing the door, Max came down the stairs and entered the rotunda. When he looked around, he saw Booth and Hank talking to the priest. Parker was standing next to him, followed by Hodgins and Sweets. He saw Wendell talking to Agents Shaw and Sparling and Angela's father, who was holding Michael and Christine's hands on each side. Finn and Michelle were conversing with Fisher, Brennan's cousin Margaret, and Booth's friend Aldo. Charlie was talking to Deputy Director Cullen, Doctor Gordon-Gordon Wyatt, and Caroline.

            When Booth looked up and saw him, Max gave him the thumbs up as the ladies lined up by the stairs. Booth whispered in Parker's ear, who ran to Wendell, who cued the music from his nearby IPad.

            Suddenly the beginning strands of  _Ho Hey_  by the Lumineers played as Emma, Cam, and Angela made their way towards the altar _'borrowed'_ from the Religions of the World exhibit courtesy of Hodgins.

            Emma made it down the aisle still in awe of being there. She loved her sister Hayley, but sometimes felt ignored by her parents. She saw her Uncle Booth smile and felt better. He was very nice and was glad he was her uncle.

            She was even happier to spend time with Aunt Tempe, who she looked up to. She knew people thought she was mean, but Aunt Tempe always took the time to talk to her and answer all her questions in regards to bones. Someday she hoped to be a forensic anthropologist like her.

            Cam made her way down and couldn't help but see Arastoo. He looked at her with such an open look of love it was almost overwhelming. He made her feel safe and secure without sacrificing her independence. Her feelings have only grown since he told her how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and that she was his family now.

            When she got closer, she mouthed  _'I love you'_. His eyes lit up like a 100 watt bulb.

            Angela next walked down the aisle and watched her husband standing so proud. ' _How did I get so lucky_?' She thought to herself.

            Jack Stanley Hodgins IV always seemed to surprise her. He did the craziest stuff to get her to notice him, including a message in glowing shrimp and when she did she later almost lost him for good because of her own fears. 

            _'Thank god we got our shit together.'_  she thought as she saw her father holding Michael and Christine standing nearby. ' _Hopefully Dad won't give Hodgins any more tattoos.'_

            When Angela got to her spot, the music changed to  _In My Life_ by the Beatles. Everyone stood and were in awe as Max and Brennan walked down the aisle.

            For Brennan, she heard the music and knew she made the right choice for her walk. Her friends were skeptical, but she knew this song described her and Booth perfectly.

            ' _Besides, when did they ever do things like normal people?'_

            Booth watched his soul mate walk down the aisle and tears started to form in his eyes. She was so beautiful in her dress.  After the women returned from West Virginia, Brennan explained why her dress would not be white, arguing that she was not a virgin and it would not be honest.  When she finished speaking, he laughed his ass off.

            He saw the blue stone hanging from her neck and it was stunning. It brought out the blue in her beautiful eyes. Her hair was clipped at the nape of her neck into a soft pony tail but the results were breathtaking. He never saw a bride or will see one again as beautiful as the one walking towards him.

            When she arrived at the altar, she looked to the small amount of guests. They could not invite many people, but only the people closest they could trust. However, the guests there were the ones that mattered.

            Brennan took the hands of the man she loved as she looked into his eyes ready to give herself to him. He looked to her with open adoration.

            ' _This was really happening_. Booth and Brennan each thought.

            Aldo began the ceremony. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered today to witness the union of Seeley Joseph Booth and Temperance Joy Brennan."

* * *

             The reception was a tap house/restaurant in Boonsboro, Maryland, about an hour away from D.C.. After a meal that included crab dip, sliders (to Booth's delight), and items off from the dinner menu, Booth and Brennan got on the dance floor and started dancing to Edwin McCain's  _I Could Not Ask For More_.

            About halfway through the song, Booth signaled Wendell, who pushed a couple buttons before _Hot Blooded_  started to play.

            "Booth….they're playing our song!"

            "Yes, Bones they are….now, let's dance!"

            Agents Sparling and Shaw were a little mystified by the change in songs for their first dance, but Angela and the others were laughing and clapping. This was the bride and groom's normal and it was romantic to the ones who witnessed their love over the years.

            Sweets watched the couple dance and admired where they came from before coming together. He looked around and saw Wendell talking to Agent Shaw and Hodgins take his wife's hand as started to walk out of the room with guilty faces. He watched as his friends all gathered together to applaud as the final notes of  _Hot Blooded_  ended to be replaced by  _In a Big Country_  by Big Country.

            ' _His family.'_  he thought to himself before he felt a tug on his arm and was yanked.

            "Come on Lance, let's dance!" Olivia said.

            The small group of people started moving to the dance floor. Hodgins and Angela turned around and joined the crowd. Max grabbed Caroline and they were dancing as they could. Booth was smiling as Brennan started her crazy dancing.

            Not one person sat out as everyone had a blast dancing to the song.

* * *

            Two hours later, the party was winding down.  As the guests finished up their alcohol, Booth and Brennan changed into their street clothes and began telling everyone goodbye.  Right before they walked out of the restaurant, Booth turned around suddenly and grabbed Sweets' keys out of his pocket.

            "Booth…what the hell?"

            "Just in case someone did something to my SUV." He retorted before tossing his keys to Sweets and Agent Sparling. "Hurt my truck, I hurt you."

            "Booth, hurry up. I want to go have intercourse before our wedding night ends."

             The groom turned beet red.  He rubbed his face for a second, then turned around and walked back to her. "Did you have to announce that to everyone? My grandfather? Your father? The kids?"

            "Booth, you need to relax. Your grandfather said he talked to you about sexual intercourse and I'm sure my father knows we have sexual intercourse.  The children should know it's not a bad thing, but a natural, biological occurrence between two people, or someone and a metaphorical horse."

            "Bones!"

            She turned her eyes towards her husband. "Let's go, Booth. I want to know about this surprise you have planned. I thought we were going back home until about an hour ago. Give me a hint."

            "Nope, Mrs. Booth…Ms. Booth…..?

            "I am still contemplating that. However…." She leaned up and whispered in his ear as his eyes bugged out.

            Booth turned to the crowd and spoke fast. "Okay, everyone, thanks again for coming. I can't emphasize enough the importance of keeping this day to yourself. If anyone asks, we headed to Antietam early due to the bomb threat. Have a good night!"

            Amid catcalls and someone yelling, " _You sure will, Booth_!", he grabbed Brennan and rushed her to Sweets' Toyota.

            Squealing the tires, he took off as he wanted to make quick time to hide Sweets' car before his surprise to Bones. His bride promised him the ride of his life and he wanted it now, damn it.

***/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/***

            "Bones, I can't believe you called in a bomb threat to the Jeffersonian! You know how much trouble you would have been in?" He said as he laughed. "Clever though. Pelant will hear on the news it was closed and gave us an excuse to go into the Jeffersonian without security except for Micah since I put Charlie, Shaw, and Sparling on the case."

            "Of course I am clever, Booth. So did you enjoy my gift to you?"

            Booth saw the white Merry Widow hanging off the door knob it landed on. The panties it came with were thrown on the floor near his boxer shorts. He then looked down on his new wife. The thigh high stockings she wore remained on. Her wearing them while he made love to her was too hot for words.  Seeing his wife with nothing on but her stockings started a familiar feeling as his cock hardened. He lifted his head and looked up at her again, this time like a predator.

            For Brennan, seeing that look in his eye confirmed that the choice of wedding lingerie was the right one. It also started stirrings in her as she felt her core heat up. Without words, the couple came together and started another round of lovemaking, forgetting for a while the threat that hung over their heads. 


	19. Juxtoposition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope my wedding passed muster with my readers. I wanted to do you all proud. 
> 
> So...they got married. What will Pelant do next?

                June 18th found Rebecca at home preparing for her flight out to Boston.  Officially she was arriving to prepare for a deposition for a client in two days.  However, that preparation included time with one of her former clients.  She smiled as she thought about her little secret from the firm.

                 After a moment, she thought about her son. She knew Parker didn't like it in London, but he was her son and it was a boy's place to remain with his mother. She loved the challenge of this metropolis, but was only recently able to admit to herself that part of the reason she took the job was to put some distance between Parker and Temperance. She knew logically that Doctor Brennan was no threat to her relationship to her son, but as a mother she couldn't help but see her as competition. Parker always seemed more excited to see Seeley's girlfriend than her.

                 She wasn't a fool. She knew that the day was coming soon when Parker would ask her to let him live with his father. He had a little sister now and whenever he returned from visiting with Seeley and his family, Parker was always a bit more wistful than last time.

                More children were not in her future, as was a good man it seemed. Parker was the only man she had left at this moment and she just couldn't let go of him at this time.

  _'London is good for him. He's better off here than in danger with Seeley.'_  she said to herself as she finished entering a number.

                 Rebecca finalized her lodging arrangements on the computer using the firm's credit card information. When all was set, she turned off her monitor and went to bed.

* * *

                 "Oh….my…..God…..Booth!"

                "Oh shit!  Now you believe….Oh fuck Bones!"

                 "Booth!"

                 "Bones!"

                 "Ahhhhhh"

                 "Oooohhh fuck!

                 Both came apart together in a shattering climax. Brennan's back was to the wall with her legs around Booth's waist while Booth's head was on her shoulder.  Both bodies were spent after another round of hot sex, this time in the Governor's Suite at the Loews in Philadelphia.

                "Booth, I'm starving. I wanted a nice dinner and to spend time with you."

                 Booth eased his wife down from the wall and pulled up his pants.  "Then wear panties under your dress when we go out to dinner. If it wasn't for the fact we were in the restaurant downstairs, I would have dragged you into the nearest bathroom stall or coat room since we wouldn't have made it back to the room otherwise."

                 Brennan sighed as she pulled down her skin tight jersey dress. "I planned intercourse for after our meal. I didn't think you would try to feel me down when we were at the table."

                 Booth smiled. "That's  _feel me up._ Bones, when a wife greets her husband for dinner in a restaurant in a dress that other men are looking at and she is poured into, he's going to want to know what's underneath.  Then, he’s going to want to do something about it…..and you know that, too. You did it on purpose….admit it!"

                _'I get that one! Poured into meant tight dress. I am good'_ Brennan thought as she looked at him with innocence.  "I've never been married before, Booth, so I wouldn't know. Now order me room service, please. I didn't get to eat my dinner."

                Booth laughed before he called the kitchen and ordered room service while Brennan went into the bathroom to take a quick shower. Tomorrow was her presentation to the board about the work done over the weekend at Antietam.

                Their time in Philadelphia was being used as a mini honeymoon until they could go on a real one with plans to stay until June 20th. Tonight Booth planned a night of romance where they could wear their wedding bands they could not wear in public.

                When Brennan came out of the bathroom, room service arrived. Booth put on his dress shirt but didn't button it all the way before he opened the door and gave the waiter a generous tip before he left.

                The agent watched his wife walk over and looked at what he ordered. "Booth….you ordered the shrimp scampi I wasn't able to eat earlier. Thank you."

                 "Yeah, it wasn't fair I was the only one able to eat something this evening…"

                 At her quizzical look, Booth flushed red and then whispered in her ear what he meant. She started her knowing laugh. "Very clever, Booth."

                 "I try, Mrs. Booth…..Dr. Booth…Dr. Brennan….have you decided yet?"

                  He secretly hoped she would take his name. It was tradition and it would make him feel good.  However, he was okay with whatever she chose.  It took her two years to get her to propose to him and he figured that was enough victory.

                 "Not yet. I figured I would decide after all this with Pelant was resolved." She knew she would have to make a decision soon, but wanted to hold off as long as possible. "Booth?"

                 He saw his spouse's serious face. "Yes, Bones?"

                 "What are we going to do when we get home?  We have to come up with a plan to find Pelant. I don't want to hide the fact we are married forever. We can't just keep hiding our wedding bands."

                 "I know, Bones, I know." He said before taking her into his arms. "We will come up with something because I want to yell it from the rooftops."

                 "I know, Booth."

                 They went to the table provided with room service and started eating the dinner they missed earlier in the evening.  

                 After a few minutes, Booth noticed Brennan's robe slipped off her knee giving him a nice view of shapely leg. When he looked up, she bent over just right and gave him a glimpse of heaven as he saw her ample cleavage. Feeling his groin shift in size, he started eating his prime rib very fast.

                 "Booth, why are you eating so fast?"

                 "Just really hungry, Bones." Booth said with his mouth full as he thought, ‘ _Yeah, to rip that robe off and feel my dick encased in your walls_.’

                 “You weren’t this hungry a few minutes ago, Booth.”

                 "Well, I am now.  You should finish your scampi. Looks very good."

                 "It is, Booth." Brennan said before his phone fell. When he moved to pick it up, his pants shifted to show his excitement. Seeing his abdominal muscles flexed through the unbuttoned shirt started to heat her core. Wanting suddenly to finish her dinner, she started to pack her food in as well.

                 Booth saw her eating her dinner fast and chuckled, suspecting why. "Bones, you may want to chew your food. What's your hurry?"

                 She chewed her shrimp. "No hurry, Booth." After a moment, she decided what was more important. "Booth?"

                 Booth was finishing a bite of his meat, which was almost gone. "Mnnh?"

                 Brennan stood up and dropped her robe to the floor. "I am not hungry anymore"

                 Booth dropped his fork, stood up, dropped his pants, and then ran to Brennan. To her squeal, he picked her up in a fireman's carry, ran off with her into the bathroom, and kicked the door shut.

                 _"Oh my, Booth. I think I am going to like marriage!"_

* * *

                The next day, Booth was walking around downtown Philadelphia while his wife was with Clark at the Müller museum giving her report. After the meeting, he was going to take Brennan for her requested tour around his old hangouts.

                He was glad he was able to do this for her. He got to see where she came from during her 15th year reunion a few years back and he wanted to give her the same in return.  As he was walking by an electronics store, he saw something on TV that made him stop in shock.

                "Holy shit!"

                Standing in shock, he barely felt his phone vibrate. When he finally noticed it, he saw it was Cam calling and answered.  "Cam, I am watching as we speak…yeah, she and Clark are giving their presentation…I'll go get them now and we’ll be there as soon as we can."

                He took off on a run, hoping the casualty count wasn't as high as he was afraid it was.  When he got to his location about ten minutes later, he saw Brennan and Clark coming out of the museum quickly. "Booth, we just got the word. When is our flight?"

                "We're not flying. We're driving my SUV. Cam and the others are flying into Hartford and driving that way. The airports are a mess right now."

                 Seeing a taxi, the three hailed it and when it stopped, they jumped in and took off to their hotels to get their items before leaving Philadelphia.

* * *

                  Pelant was watching the three from a camera in front of the museum. Seeing a small object peeking out from under Dr. Brennan's blouse, he zoomed in. He magnified and saw the impression of a simple band.  Immediately, the man figured out what it was and in his anger knocked his coffee across the room with his right hand _._

_'They have to be apart for him to succeed with his final solution_.'

                 What he just did was to cause a distraction for the Jeffersonian team. What he was going to do next was just for pleasure. It was all in place, but had to wait for the right time.

                 "I told you not to marry her, Agent Booth" 


	20. Collateral Damage

                Three hours later, Clark, Brennan, and Booth arrived in New York City. After getting past several roadblocks, they finally arrived at the chaos that was JFK International Airport. They walked solemnly towards the last set of road blocks on the runway. They were informed that it was going to be several hours before it would be safe for them to go in, but they couldn't leave as they were transfixed by what they saw.

                Ahead of them was twisted metal blackened with smoke with firefighters still putting out flames. The fuselage and both wings were separated from the main parts of the plane.  What the three recognized as body parts were burned and scattered among the wreckage. On their right were tables of damaged items that survived the wreckage.

                After about five minutes, Clark felt tears in his eyes.  "Doctor Brennan…Agent Booth, if you don't mind, I'm going to wait in the VIP lounge until Dr. Saroyan and the others arrive."

                Brennan felt similar emotion and could not fault her protégé for needing an escape, however temporary. "Of course, Doctor Edison but they may not arrive for several hours. Do you want to check into your room first? We can call you when we are ready."

                "No, the VIP lounge is fine."

                "One drink, Clark." Booth said as the young man turned to walk away.  He knew how addictive personalities could begin. "We will need you when the others get here."

                Clark nodded and went into the lounge. The couple watched him order and drink a shot then turned to each other.

                "Booth."

                "Yes, Bones."

                "Can we check into our room? I find a need to be alone with you until the others come."

                Booth took his wife's hand before picking up their bags and walking over to the airport hotel in silence. When they get to the room, they come together in a rush and rip each other's clothes off, each feeling a frantic need to forget the horror of what they saw, if only for a short time.

                They fell to the bed naked as they touched and loved desperately with their hands and mouths. After taking each other in greedily, each are at their limit.

                "Booth, please."

                Booth ensured she was ready for him before filling her with himself.  He pushed himself in and out in a rapid pace, but when she demanded more, he gave more. Finally, each hit their peaks and came together.

                When complete, they got close with Brennan putting her head in the crook of Booth's arm and her head on his chest.

                "You never get over it, do you, Booth."

                "No, Bones, you don't. The day we do is the day we need to hang it up."

                "What do I hang up?"

                "No Bones, it means that we stop what we are doing….that we have lost our ability to see victims as people, not just as casualties in a crime. It's what makes us such a good team. What one of us lacks the other provides….a true partnership."

                Booth and Brennan sit in contemplative silence as they bask in the glow of their closeness, grateful to be together.

* * *

                Due to the chaos, Hodgins, Angela and the squinterns assigned to the case along with Sweets didn't arrive until midnight.  When the psychologist took the agent aside to inquire about anyone having issues, Booth quietly pointed Booth in Clark's direction.

                It wasn't until dawn broke early the next morning that the team could go in and do their jobs.  As the squints worked on the wreckage, Booth along with Sweets talked to witnesses and investigators.

                Per witnesses, the plane seemed to be flying towards the runway normally but as it got closer the angle trajectory was several degrees off, putting it in a headfirst course with the runway.   Suddenly the nose went up as the pilot moved in to correct, but it was too late as the plane crashed into the runway at a 30 degree angle, killing all on board. It would be several weeks before the NTSB and the FBI would complete their joint investigation.

                Around 7:00 AM, while the team was outside sifting through the wreckage for evidence and body recovery, Booth was with his wife talking near the table of recovered objects.

                "Bones, Cam should be here. I know she told Hodgins she would be following as soon as she finished some legalities, but it isn't like her to not call if she is tied up with something in a situation like this."

                "Perhaps you should call, Booth. I too am worried. Mr. Vaziri's assistance is greatly needed here and it is out of his character to not be here when I need him."

                As Booth was going to dial, his phone rang. When he saw it was the pathologist, he picked up.  "Cam, where are you?  Where is Arastoo?”

                Booth only heard a frantic voice talking very fast.  “What—Wh-Wait slow down, Cam. What's wrong…he's got his Green Card, right? So what is—no way. Did you call—of course he got called out at the last minute.  Okay, I'll get down there as soon as I can. Bye, Cam."

                Brennan saw the look of worry on his face. "Booth, what's wrong?"

                "Cam and Arastoo were about to leave last night, but he was arrested by ICE for being undocumented.  When Arastoo told them he had a Green card and had filed the paperwork to become a naturalized citizen, both items were mysteriously missing.  Cam tried pulling up the Jeffersonian’s copy and that one is missing, too.  She tried calling Alex, but he was called away yesterday because his sister was in a car accident and is unavailable."

                “So Arastoo’s legal documentation in this country is missing?”

                “Yes.  Right now he’s been detained as an illegal and Cam is terrified right now.  Care to make a guess on who probably did this?”

                "Pelant."

                "Bones I have to get some things together quick. Can you call and arrange a flight for me out of Philadelphia?  Wait, with the mess, I'm better off driving back to Washington."

                "Booth, it's about four hours."

                "Yeah, but the airports are all on alert because of this even though it looks to be mechanical failure. I'm going to drive." Suddenly a thought came to him. "I better call Max and let him know I'm coming home."

                Booth hit the speed dial and saw Rebecca's name come up. "Shit, hit the wrong one. Can you call Max since she's going to answer in a minute and I don't want her calling back bitching because she'll think something is wrong with Parker."

                As Brennan dialed her father's number, a loud ring could be heard. The duo turned to the direction of the ring, which was one of the tables of objects recovered from the wreckage. Both froze as Booth heard Rebecca's voice mail.

_This is Rebecca Stinson. I cannot answer your phone right now but please leave your name and number and I will return your call as soon as I can pull myself away from my latest case. Good Bye. BEEP!_

                At that moment, Max answered on Brennan's phone. "Dad, I-I have to call you back."

                After the anthropologist hung up, they walked over to the table in question filled with dread. After a pregnant silence filled with tension, Booth hit Rebecca's speed dial again. When the phone rang, they dug through the pile until they found a Droid Razr Maxx HD that miraculously had little damage.

                When Booth turned it over, his blood ran cold as the ringing phone showed a picture of Rebecca and Parker in the wallpaper. When the call went to voicemail again, he touched the lock button to unlock the phone. He moved to the PHONE icon and scrolled down until he found his name and then Bones' name and number.

                "Oh God, please let this be a mistake" Booth said in a panic as they raced over to another table where the plane manifesto was placed. He frantically scrolled down until he found the name he dreaded.

**REBECCA STINSON ROW 16 SEAT A**

                Brennan saw her husband still himself in shock. "Booth…Booth!"

                When he turned her blood chilled as she saw the look in his eyes. Cold….set…deadly. "Booth, talk to me!"

                Seeing her blue eyes turn scared brought him out of his stupor. "It was Pelant, Bones."

                "You don't know that, Booth."

                "Yes, Bones I do. Somehow he found out Rebecca was coming to the States and sabotaged her plane."

                "Did she say anything to you about this, Booth?"

                "I knew she was coming to Boston, but she told me she wasn't leaving until tomorrow."

                "Why was she on this flight, Booth?"

                "I don't know, Bones! This was Pelant. You know it and I know it. Somehow he found out she was coming here and fucked up her plane.”  He got tears in his eyes as he fought against his emotions. "Maybe she missed her flight?"

                Brennan saw her husband's desperation, but was unable to get a word in as he continued to talk.

                "Maybe she was supposed to get on and missed her flight but didn't get her luggage?  She's probably at Heathrow right now swearing like a sailor waiting for the next flight—"

                "Booth."

                "Maybe her bags were packed on this flight by accident instead of to Boston—"

                "Booth!"

                Booth stopped talking. Seeing Brennan's eyes made the reality sink in….the fact that his son's mother was probably dead.

                "Bones, why did he have to kill her….the mother of my son?" He fought a tear for the woman he once loved. "She did nothing to him but be a part of my life."

                Brennan took him in her arms as he cried. After about five minutes, she knew that she would have to take charge for the moment. Slowly, she removed herself from the embrace so she could look at her husband.

                "Booth, you need to get home to Parker. He can't find out about this from anyone else."

                Booth nodded. "I know….I have to tell him. Bones, call Max and tell him to keep the kids and Emma away from the TV. It's going to take me about three hours to get there with the siren. Do you have Alex Radzwell's phone number and his supervisor's?"

                "Yes, why?"

                "Keep calling Alex.  Have Angela try to track him down the hospital his sister is in if you can’t get through on his phone.  I know he’s probably worried about his sister, but tell him it’s an emergency and I need him at ICE headquarters with Arastoo's Green Card. He has a copy."

                Suddenly another thought came to him. "Oh, God someone has to identify her."

                "I'll do it, Booth. Just go to Parker."

                Booth started to run, but came back fast and kissed his wife hard and hugged her fierce. "Thank you, Bones. Thank you for being my wife."

                Brennan held on tight. "Of course, Booth. I love you."

                After Booth let go, Brennan watched as he ran out of the terminal towards his SUV. Alone in the room, she felt a few tears fall as she thought of the loss Parker was about to experience. For all her issues with Rebecca towards Booth over the years in regards to Parker, she did love her child.

                She couldn't think of any reason why Rebecca would deserve to die this way, one that Brennan suspected the other woman knew was coming in the last few seconds of her life. She could only hope that her death was quick and didn't feel any pain as her body was broken and burned.

                She wanted to believe that all this was only an accident, but after all they went through with Pelant, she had to agree with Booth. He knew computers and could manipulate anything with a well-placed Trojan Horse.

                Pulling herself together, she went to update the team on Arastoo, Cam, and Rebecca.

                Booth drove 85 miles per hour as he flew through New Jersey on I-95 with his siren going. Tears would intermittently fall as he thought about the mother of his son. He and Rebecca had their differences over the years but in the last few years made peace with each other for Parker's sake.

                Her taking their son overseas devastated him and he suspected part of her reason was jealousy over Bones. However, in the end, she was Parker's mother and he did love her once. When he thought about having to tell his son his mother was dead he was at a loss on what to say. He hoped that by the time he got to Washington, Bones would call and say there was a mistake.  However, in his heart he knew it wouldn't happen.

                "Pelant, if you did this, you better leave the country because when I find you, you are dead." 


	21. Booth Outsmarts Pelant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I got a few responses who were shocked that I killed Rebecca off. I did it because she was never my favorite character and it gave the victims of Pelant a face that they know through Parker. There could be other casualties in the future so stay tuned and keep up with those reviews...there like my crack that fuels me as I write more chapters.
> 
> Also thanks for the overwhelming response to my other story Actions Speak Louder Than Words. Angela was totally in the wrong and I felt it had to be dealt with. Thanks for the support.

                Booth came out of Parker's room looking defeated. After telling his son about his mother, he held Parker until he cried himself to sleep. It killed him that there was nothing he could do for his son's pain. His only comfort was that he would someday get the root of his problem either behind bars or six feet under.

                As he got to the top of the stairs, he felt his phone buzz. When he saw the message from Alex, his blood boiled.

_**Faxed copy of GC 30 min ago.**_ **_ICE being assholes. Boss unable to reach. Does Dr. Brennan have any connections?_**

                "God damn ICE agents. Just because he's from the Middle East doesn't make him an enemy. I thought this shit was over."

                Booth was about to dial a number when he saw that Brennan was calling and he understood why. With dread, he answered the phone. "Bones?"

                _"We found her, Booth. I was able to identify her and I am making arrangements to accompany her home.  Did she have any family?"_

                Booth's insides sank. He had prayed Rebecca wasn't among the dead, but knew deep down she was before the call. "No just Parker. I'll make the arrangements today. You can bring her back here, Bones. I want her close for Parker's sake."

                _"Okay, Booth. I'm so sorry. How is Parker?"_

                Booth inhaled for a moment thinking about his devastated son. "He's sleeping. He cried himself to sleep after I told him."

                Brennan felt a tear fall down as she thought about the boy she thought of as her own. "Can I do anything besides let you know that my checkbook is in the top desk drawer if it’s needed?"

                Booth took a deep breath.  "Help me with Parker. You're his only mother figure now. I know you didn't expect this—"

                "Seeley Booth, if you finish that sentence I will kick your ass when I get home." She waited for a moment and then continued. "Booth, I talked to the team. They want to come home for the memorial service to support you and Parker. We can have the FBI take over recovery for a day or two. Will that be okay?"

                Booth wanted to cry, thankful for the generosity and love shown him and Parker by the Jeffersonian team over the last near decade. "Yeah, Bones that would be just fine, but not Daisy or that douche Wells. I can't deal with their shit right now."

                "I will find something for them." Then she got to the question she had wanted to ask. "How are you, Booth?  Really?"

                Booth wiped across his fatigued face with his opposite hand. "Drained, Bones. Exhausted. Angry as hell because of this."

                Then he remembered the reason he wanted to call her. "Bones, the timing sucks, but I need a favor."

                "Anything Booth."

* * *

                Armed with a copy of Arastoo's Green Card, Booth and an exhausted Alex Radzwill stomped into ICE Headquarters. When Alex told him the agent in charge of Arastoo's case, he was grateful he had Bones' connections.

                He also remembered he needed to keep his temper in check as he knocked on the door.

                _“Come in.”_

                Both men entered and approached the desk.  "Special Agent Childress."  Booth said with barely held back contempt for the woman in front of him.

                Special Agent Monica Childress was a former FBI Agent who was aggressive in her pursuit of Booth eighteen months earlier.  She was a woman who didn't take no for an answer and was angered when Booth actually filed a sexual harassment complaint against her.

                Thanks to her old friend Andrew Hacker's intervention, she was able to get in at ICE.  For almost a year and half, she waited for a chance to stick it to Seeley Booth for rejecting her and marring her FBI career.  

                Booth threw his copy of Arastoo's Green Card on the desk. "This is Arastoo Vaziri's green card, Monica.  Get him out of here now. You've wasted enough of Alex's time and mine.  I have a crime scene to get back to and he has a sister who just got out of surgery he needs to be with."

                Monica purposely ignored Alex as she stood up and examined a copy of the green card. "You want me to release an undocumented resident just because you throw a copy of this at me? Not enough.  It's not in the system."

                Booth was getting pissed as his nerves were about shot. "Agent Childress, if you don't release him now I will go over your head and hand you your ass on a platter. You now have two copies of a legitimate green card.  I'm too busy for a pissing contest just because I wasn't interested in screwing you in one of the Hoover’s storage rooms."

                Childress felt the nerve hit by that statement, but was determined not to show it. "Get the fuck out, Booth.  I don't work for the FBI anymore nor do I have to answer to you or anyone for that matter.  I run my own division now."

                "Last chance, Monica. I'm not in the mood."

                "I'd listen if I were you, Special Agent. We know enough people to make you a pencil pusher tomorrow." Alex added.

                "Listen here, little man. The documentation is not in the computer system and these are copies.  Now there's the door. Don't let it hit your asses, or in your case, Mr. Radzwill, your head on the way out."

                "Want to play games? Let's play games." Booth walked out towards the door.

                Monica got a cocky grin as she rested her hip on her desk.  "What are you doing to do, sic Cullen on me?"

                "Not Cullen." Alex said with relish.

                Booth opened the door and let in a third person. When Monica saw who it was, she became pale. "Director Napolitano."

                "Special Agent Childress. I hear that there is some confusion about a green card that got lost in the system?"

                "Yes, ma'am, there was, but since these two gentlemen brought the copies in, we're going to release Mr. Vaziri now."

                "Good. I believe in interagency cooperation, Agent Childress. I won't stand for people who, to put it metaphorically, like to show who's is bigger or let grudges dictate how he or she do their jobs. How about you?"

                "No, Director. That would be petty." Monica looked to the two men holding her anger in a mask of friendliness marred by eyes full of anger and humiliation.

                "Good, glad to clear up the confusion." Janet Napolitano said before turning to the men. "Agent Booth, thank Temperance for the advance copy of her new novel. It was excellent as always."

                "Will do, Director."

                “Mr. Radzwill, I’m sorry to hear about your sister and the fact you had to be called away from her.  How is she doing?”

                “She had surgery on her leg this morning as the police caught the driver that hit her yesterday.  She’ll be in a wheelchair for a while as she goes through physical therapy, but considering she was broadsided by an SUV, I’m just glad she’s okay.”

                “I’m glad everyone her is all right.  It’s dreadful about that plane crash in New York yesterday.  Are there any updates, Agent Booth?”

                “The NTSB, FBI Techs, and the Jeffersonian are still going through the damage.  We hope to have a cause soon.”

                "If there’s anything my office can do, let me know, Agent Booth.  Good day gentlemen.”  Ms. Napolitano said before looking at the female agent.  “Agent Childress."

                Janet Napolitano walked out of the office. When the door shut, the men turned and saw Agent Childress shooting daggers at them as she made a call. "Release Arastoo Vaziri and bring them to my office."

                Ten minutes later, agents escorted Arastoo into the office. The fact that he had a black eye, right arm in a cast, and a healing split lip didn't go unnoticed. Booth's anger increased and he turned back to the woman.

                "I'll be looking into this, Monica."

                "Not my fault he was beaten by prisoners.  Arabs are low on the pecking order in holding. He got the best medical care possible."

                "I'm Iranian, as it states on my green card." The beaten intern said before he hissed in pain from his lip.

                Booth had enough. "Come on, Arastoo. Cam's worried sick about you and we need to get you looked at, plus Bones will need you in New York soon if you are able to travel."

                "Agent Booth, I can't thank you enough."

                "Thank Bones and don't mention it, Arastoo." Booth replied as the three men were leaving.

* * *

                The next day, Booth was at Dulles waiting in the gate with Agents Shaw and Sparling.  When he saw the passengers led by Brennan come though he greeted his wife with a hug. The rest of the Jeffersonian team, including Fisher, greeted Booth with either hugs or condolences before stepping aside to give the couple privacy.

                "They're taking her to the funeral home, Booth."

                "Do you think Parker can see her if he asks before the service tomorrow?" Booth asked

                "I wouldn't recommend it, Booth." Brennan said, giving Booth the understanding of the condition of Rebecca's body. "Ms. Wick stayed behind at the site. I sent for Dr. Wells to go there also. I told the two I needed them to work with the FBI team until the team returns."

                "Thank you, Bones. I just can't handle either of them right now, and I don't want to hoist them onto Parker."

                "Hodgins and the others will be leaving tomorrow afternoon after the service. I will be going back on the 22nd to claim Rebecca's belongings for Parker and assist with any final body retrieval. Thank you for getting Mr. Vaziri released. I'm sorry you had to deal with Agent Childress again."

                "You're the one who ultimately got him of there. I'm sorry you had to call the director for me to make that happen with all that the squints are doing back in New York."

                "It's okay, Booth. I’ve always enjoyed speaking with Janet. She's a fascinating woman."

                Something that his wife said finally sunk in through his sleep deprivation. "Rebecca's stuff. The agents wouldn't release them to you yet?"

                "No but I told the Special Agent in Charge that if the items were not ready for me to pick up by the time I come back I would be calling you and Sam."

                _'Leave it to Bones to be the one to bring it on.'_   Booth thought as he let loose the first genuine laugh he had in the last three days.  He was brought back to reality when he heard his wife calling him.

                "What, Bones?"

                "I want to get back to the house. I need to see Parker, Christine, and Emma." She hesitated for a second. "I need to be there for Parker."

                Booth felt his emotions swell up like a balloon at that moment. His Bones has always loved Parker like a son and it made him feel good knowing she would be there for him now. In turn, he will help his wife with their niece, whose quick visit will now be a summer visit due to her sister's health issues.

                ' _Not the best timing, but it can't be helped.'_  he said to himself.

                "Come on, Bones. Let's go home."

                The couple, by this time the only two left at the gate, walked out hand in hand.

* * *

                 The morning service was a simple one in a cemetery near the Brennan-Booth home.  Emma was home babysitting Christine and Michael during the service with Agent Shaw keeping guard. The squints gave their condolences with Wendell and Finn each giving Parker a hug letting him know they were there for him. Fisher uncharacteristically remained tight-lipped, feeling the weight of the situation did not warrant any comment.

                Sweets and Sparling held hands as they walked over to Booth and Parker. After giving their sympathies, they left to be together.

                Finn and Michelle were talking to Cam and Arastoo, who was sitting. His injuries were healing, but the nightmare of his time in ICE confinement still bothered him. He shook it off, resolving to help Doctor Brennan and Agent Booth catch Christopher Pelant.

                The anthropologist knew he was the one responsible for his situation and wanted the worm to go down.

                When the people and the environment got to be too much for Parker, Max took him away for a walk, earning Booth's gratitude. He was starting to get a bit overwhelmed himself. He turned to his wife, who looked exhausted.

                "Bones, honey, are you okay? You look really tired."

                "I'm okay, Booth. I didn't sleep much last night and the last week has been, a twister, to say the least."

                As Brennan finished speaking, she felt the nausea in her stomach and prayed it would calm down.  She didn't want Booth to know as he had enough on his plate as it was.

                It took Booth a minute to figure out what she was trying to say. "A whirlwind, Bones, and that's okay. I understand the feeling."

                "Is Parker going to be okay?" Brennan watched Parker walk with Max leaving the cemetery.

                "In time Bones. I think he needs someone to just let him be for a bit. Max is probably the best one to do that right now."

                Booth looked around to make sure they were truly alone. "Bones, I'm going to nail that bastard.  Murdering innocent people was bad enough, but the son of a bitch crossed a line. Rebecca did nothing to him nor involved in any way except by association with us. I'm going to kill him if I have a chance."

                "But, Booth, your cosmic balance sheet—"

                "Doesn't count, Bones. This man has almost murdered an entire family, stole someone's citizenship papers so that he would be killed in holding or back in Iran, and manipulated a teenager to try to kill Sweets. Now, he's killed my son's mother. He has to pay."

                Brennan took both of his hands and squeezed them. "Booth, I will be there every step of the way and I will be there helping you take him down."

                Booth's mouth opened, but Brennan put her finger on them. "Either accept my help or I will do it behind your back.  We’re partners.  Don’t forget that."

                Booth moved her finger. "You misunderstand me, Babe. First, you got that expression correct.  Second, and most importantly, I don't want you in danger, but I also need you and the squints to help nail Pelant.  So, I accept your offer."

                Brennan smiled. "Good, we understand each other and don’t call me Babe."

                She led him as they started to leave the cemetery. "By the way, Agent Seeley Booth, Parker is our son and don't you forget it."

                Booth felt tears in his eyes when he heard that. He had never been so happy to be corrected by her in his life. "I won't Bones, I won't."

                They took each other's hand again and walked out of the cemetery together.

* * *

                 Christopher Pelant watched the monitor of the cemetery. He saw Arastoo Vaziri and exploded. "SON OF A BITCH!"

                He threw his cup of coffee across the room with his good arm before looking to the monitor again. "How the hell did he get back here!? He was supposed to either be dead or shipped back where the other pieces of shit were to kill him!"

                He struggled to get up and was finally able to after several minutes. He got into a drawer and pulled out a remote control console with only one button. He smiled and then turned back to the monitor facing the Brennan-Booth house.

                "All in due time, Agent Booth….all in due time." 


	22. Pelant Strikes Back Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Victors if one is not familiar is the University of Michigan fight song. It seemed appropo for the situation it was used. GO WOLVERINES!

  **JUNE 24**

               Brennan was packing up her items from her hotel room at JFK in her small carry-on. The items of Rebecca that were salvageable were packed in another small carry-on bag on the floor nearby. ' _I am so glad to be going home'_

                As she finished packing, she was hit with a sudden burst of nausea. A few seconds later, she ran to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet before she vomited her meager breakfast from an hour earlier. She had the same issue yesterday but felt better by the afternoon. A thought came to mind, but she pushed it aside as she focused on easing the room spinning so she could get up.

                When she regained her sense of normal, she got up and finished her task. She planned on taking her bags with her to the New York FBI field office so she could leave right away after her debriefings.  If she was lucky, she could be home for a late meal tonight.

                She needed to be home…..Parker needed her there. She knew how devastated she was when her parents left, but she had no one. For Parker, she was determined he would not be alone in his grief and would protect him always.

* * *

                Agent Perotta was in a ladies room stall finishing her business when she heard steps entering the room. Hearing the voices of Agents Shaw and Sparling, she gently pulled her feet up so they weren't showing.

                Olivia Sparling chuckled as she watched her friend look under the stalls. "Gen, what are you doing?"

                "What do you think? I'm looking for ears in the stalls. You know how nosy Perotta is. She might as well just smear shit on her nose because she brown noses anyone she can to get ahead, including telling Hacker anything she hears."

                "You mean when she's not thinking of ways to hook up with Agent Booth?"

                "Yeah, that skank really thinks she has a chance with him."

                ' _How dare do these bitches get off calling me a skank?_  ' Perotta thought angrily to herself.  Silently counting to ten, she held her temper in check as she continued to listen.

                Genny and Olivia laughed. "Okay, Gen, enough about that twit. Spill….how was your date with Wendell on Father's Day weekend?

                "There was no date, Olivia. He took Danny and I to an Orioles game."

                "Yeah, yeah, I know he loves hanging out with Danny, but I saw how you were with him at the party we were at."  The other agent said. "He was sooooo goo-goo over you and you were talking to him all night."

                "We like to talk baseball and stuff. He's a nice guy, but I don't have time for men, Olivia. I have a son to raise."

                "You always have time for a good fuck." Sparling replied saucily

                "OLIVIA!"

                Genny laughed with her friend, but she knew deep down that Wendell Bray would not be content with a one-time fuck and that would be dangerous for her. She couldn't put herself out there again.  She just couldn't handle being hurt or abandoned again.

                "Come on, you know you were thinking about it. He's built pretty nice…hockey player…oh yeah, baby!"

                A picture of Wendell shirtless came to mind. Wanting to get the image out of her mind, she moved to change the subject. "Let's talk about other things….I know… how are you and Sweets?"

                "Lance Sweets….a girl will never be disappointed!"

                "It's about time you forgave him, Olivia. He really likes you."

                "I like him, too Genny. It didn't work the first time because he still had feelings for Daisy."

                "And now?"

                "We'll see." Olivia looked at her watch. "Well, we should get back to work."

                "Yeah, Agent Booth asked me for help putting the items together for his debriefing. Doctor Brennan is getting in on a 7 PM flight from JFK, so I get the impression he wants out of here ASAP to pick her up at the airport."

                "You know, they are so professional here at work, but I've seen the way they look at each other and it’s so sweet. Plus with not seeing each other for a few days, I'm sure they need some bow mow chicka bow wow."

                Both women crack up laughing before Genny calmed down first. "I really like Doctor Brennan because she’s really smart and doesn't take anyone's crap, even Hacker's. People say she's a bitch, and I know sometimes she says things that can be heard as rude, but it's not intentional. She's always respectful to me."

                "I like her too. I think you just have to respect what she has to say, plus not make desperate goo goo eyes at her man, unlike Perotta. Man, she needs to move on!"

                The women start laughing as they exit the ladies room. Perotta looks and doesn't see any more feet in the restroom and so she puts herself together and exits the stall. As she is washing her hands, a plan comes to mind. Remembering the key she pilfered from his drawer a while back and copied, she walked out singing  _The Victors_.

* * *

  **3:00 PM **

                "Yes, sir. I understand, sir. I'm getting the reports on the case done so I am ready for the debriefing at five so I can go home to my partner and children tonight.”

                Booth rolled his eyes as he listened to the person on the other end of the call while throwing paper balls into his basketball hoop.  “How's Temperance?...She's been okay, but right now I'm assuming she's all right since she'll be home tonight…..no, she can't stop by here."

                He rolled his eyes again.  “I have to go Sir, so I can finish the report for you. Of course I will tell Bones you said hello. Good bye sir."

                He hangs up the phone. "Asshole. He never lets up on Bones, even now that we have a daughter and are living together. Get a clue."

                His cell phone rang.  Seeing who was calling, he answered.  "Hey Bones...really…..you caught an earlier flight? You're on it! You're not supposed to be calling me. Where are you...the bathroom...Okay, Bones, never mind.  What time does it arrive...3:52 PM?"

                ' _Shit'_. He thought as he looked at his paperwork. "I'm stuck but I will ask Sparling to…..no, Bones, you are not taking a cab.  You said last night you haven't been feeling well lately….please do this for me without arguing….please." He said with his puppy dog eye voice over the phone.

                "I'll watch Nova with you tomorrow…..yes without one complaint….yes I'll stay awake….okay, thanks, Bones. Max said he would drop the kids off after eight so we can have a late dinner after Parker and Christine go to bed."

                Booth listened to his wife before giggling.  “Really?  You wanna do that...yeah, I'm there. See you later. Love you….bye."

                He hung up the phone and saw Agent Sparling at her desk and walked over. "Sparling, my w-partner just called. There was a last minute cancellation on an earlier flight, so she got that seat and will be arriving at Dulles at around ten to four. Can you...?"

                She stood up with a smile, pretending not to notice his near slip of the tongue. She would do anything for Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan, including delaying washing out dye the color of shit out of her hair. "Sure, sir. You may want to text her to tell her I look different. Sorry I haven't had time to wash this crap out or get rid of this stupid hand tat from the undercover assignment I was on."

                "It's okay, Sparling, since it's on your head and thanks a lot for picking Bones up. You're doing me a big favor." He felt his phone buzz and looked. "Bones just sent me the flight information. I'll forward it to you."

                "You're welcome, sir."

                Olivia grabbed her keys and walked to the elevators. When she got there, Genny came out of the break room drinking from her travel mug. "Hey Gen, Doctor Brennan got an early flight so I am picking her up now. Want to tag along and get out of here for a while?"

                "Sure. It's not like the paperwork won't be there waiting for us. Plus Mom took Danny to see a movie tonight. Let me get my stuff and I'll meet you down in the garage."

                "Okay" She got into the now open elevator and closed it. She got out her phone and texted Lance.

_Going 2 airport 2 get Doc Bren now. Home early. Want 2 do food l8r after I get this dye out?_

                As she got in the SUV, she felt a buzz, looked, and laughed.

_**sure. Txt me when back. BTW….i like your hair :)**_

                When Genny got in the SUV a moment later, the ladies left for the airport. Little did either woman know that their lives were going to be changed forever in less than two hours.


	23. Pelant Strikes Back Part 2

** 4:30 PM **

                Peyton Perotta used her key to unlock the back door. She talked to Agent Booth after lunch and determined he and Doctor Brennan wouldn't be home until around 8:00 PM.  She couldn't leave the Hoover any earlier to avoid suspicion, but knew she had plenty of time to do what she needed to accomplish. Walking through the house, she made her way upstairs. She looked in all the rooms and went into what she determined was the master bedroom.

                "Have to admire Dr. Brennan's taste in décor. Feminine with some masculinity….like Booth would accept otherwise."

                She snooped in what she determined to be Booth's dresser and closet. She picked up a t-shirt she spotted draped on a chair, and smelled the remnants of aftershave. She looked at the digital clock and noted the time.

                "If Doctor Brennan has a flight coming in at seven, they should be back here, considering traffic, around eight. I just have to make sure I'm out of here before then."

                Walking over to the bed, she pulled the covers back.  Taking off her jacket, she set it down and rolled around on the sheets.  Satisfied that her perfume was noticeable in the sheets, she pulled one of her earrings out and put it under a pillow.  Seeing the Bose radio, she flicked it on. Not liking the first song, she flicked until she heard the beginning  _Love Games_  by Lady GaGa.

                Leaving it on the song, she saw Dr. Brennan's closet. Curiosity took over and she walked over singing, grabbed an outfit and went into the bathroom while continuing to sing.

_"Don't think too much just bust that kick. I wanna take a ride on your disco stick."_

* * *

                “Ladies, thank you for coming to pick me up from the airport.  I didn’t take you away from something important, did I?”

                “No, Doctor Brennan.”  Sparling said as she turned onto Janus Street.  “It’s nice to get out of the Hoover anyway.  Sorry about my hair and hand art.”

                Brennan looked at the agent’s hand.  “Very interesting.  Booth said it was for an undercover assignment.  I’m assuming it come to a successful conclusion?”

                “Confession and everything.”  Sparling said.  “Doctor B, isn’t this your house here on the left?”

                “Yes it is.”

                Sparling pulled into the driveway and immediately all three notice the other black SUV in the driveway.

                "Oh shit." Shaw and Sparling say simultaneously as they see the license plate and know who it belongs to.

                "Ladies, why are you verbalizing ' _oh shit'_? Whose SUV is in my driveway?" She sees the government vehicle belongs to. I would like an answer since Booth did not inform me that someone was going to be here."

                The agents looked at each other before Shaw exhaled. "It's Agent Perotta's, ma'am."

                Brennan feels a swift feeling of anger because Angela told her that Agent Perotta always _'checked Booth out'_ , including their first case together. Knowing that Booth was at the office working on paperwork because she just talked to him, she knew that the woman was there alone in her house without invitation and felt a wave of uncharacteristic pettiness crawl up in her.

                "What is that…bitch doing in my house?"

                Before either agent could say anything, the anthropologist got out of the front passenger seat.  Immediately she marched up towards the front door but stopped half way.  Turning around she marched back to Agent Sparling’s vehicle.   

                "Agent Shaw, Agent Sparling, please accompany me inside. I am a rational person, but I think I may not be happy when I see what is going on in my house."

                Both agents got out and immediately followed Brennan as she unlocked her front door and the three women entered the house.

* * *

                Christopher Pelant watched Agent Perotta from the miniature camera he placed inside Doctor Brennan’s alarm clock and couldn’t contain his laughter.

                "Man, even I know that Agent Booth is too devoted to Doctor Brennan to go for someone like you, Agent Perotta."

                He looked to the monitor of the front of the house and saw a second SUV pull into the driveway. A moment later, he saw the owner of the house get out of the truck, then return to the vehicle.  Following that, he saw two more women get out before all three went to the front door and entered the house.

                "Oh shit, this is going to be good." Pelant said.

                He had his finger on the remote's button waiting for the right time. He felt bad about the others, but what he needed to do was too important. Agent Booth stopped him from eliminating the Muslim by getting the mongrel released from ICE.

                Then the agent went against orders and married Temperance Brennan.  Now, he was going to suffer for it.

                Suddenly, the picture went out on the bedroom monitor.  Pelant pushed buttons but could not get the images back.

                “Son of a bitch!”  The man growled as he worked frantically.

* * *

                Brennan, followed by Sparling and Genny bringing up the rear as they entered the house.  As the last woman closed the front door, they were greeted with Lady GaGa and Agent Perotta singing  _Love Games._

                Brennan led the way upstairs and all three noted where the music was coming from. Hearing the uncharacteristic growl from their superior's wife, the other two women deduced this was their bedroom. Looking at each other, Genny and Olivia thought the same thing.

                ‘ _Perotta is getting her ass kicked!’_

                The three came into the room and noted a woman's suit tossed onto the bed and the bedclothes all askew. Inside the master bathroom, someone was singing as the door was mostly closed.  They waited a moment before a woman came out of the bathroom oblivious to the people in the room wearing an outfit each recognized as one of the anthropologist’s.

                " _And now I want it bad, Want it bad, a love g—"_

                Agent Perotta stopped dead in her tracks when she saw three people in the room. It was her turn to say it and she did.

                "Oh shit."

                Brennan could only laugh. In this situation, she knew it was mean spirited but she loved the moment of panic in the agent's eyes. It reminded her of how she scared the students who were phoning it in during her lectures.

                '' _Oh shit' fits this situation so well.'_

                After a moment, Brennan gathered her bearings before seeing the other two agents moving to leave the room. "Ladies, please remain where you are. I want witnesses."

                Olivia and Genny returned to where they were, by the digital clock and open doorway respectively.

                "Agent Perotta, why are you trying on my clothes?"

                Suddenly she turned to her bed and noted the faint smell of perfume, the same one she smelled on the scared agent in front of her. "Agent Perotta, why does the bed I know my partner made this morning because he knew I was coming home today smell like your perfume?”

               Before Perotta could answer, Brennan continued.  “I know he wasn’t home because because I talked to him more than once today, including during an afternoon debriefing we had with Assistant Deputy Director Andrew Hacker and my supervisor Dr. Camille Saroyan.”

                The anthropologist took one step closer.  “I know he would not engage in any sort of physical contact in this bed with you, or anywhere else.  I know without a doubt he would not be with anyone else, so explain why my bed is unmade…"

                Thinking of something, she looked under both pillows and noted an unfamiliar earring. She picked up it and showed it to Perotta.

                "…and why an earring that looks like one hanging from your ear under my pillow?"

* * *

                 Pelant continued to attempt to get the picture back on the monitor.

                "Damn it! I can't kill the bitch until I know for sure she's in the bedroom. I have to at least give her a chance to go after Agent Perotta before I kill her. I never liked that agent."

                His slow fingers were finally able to get the picture back but the top half was cut off and there was no sound. He counted three people in the room.

                "Where the hell is the other woman?! There should be four!"

                Realizing his time was short, he quickly pushed the detonator, but his hand couldn’t make it move.  After thirty seconds of trying, Pelant put his other hand over it and pushed down. 

* * *

                 Brennan held her pillow to her as he advanced a couple more steps towards the other woman. "I asked you a question, Agent Perotta and I expect an answer. Why are you wearing my clothes, why does my bed smell like your perfume, and why did I find your earring under my pillow?"

                Olivia Sparling was holding back a laugh at the speechless face of the other agent under the anthropologist’s interrogation. ' _Gotcha, bitch_!' she thought to herself.

                She wanted to know the time when the twit’s career imploded so she turned to note the time which was 4:47 PM.  Suddenly, she saw the green numbers flashed multiple times and realized what she was looking at. "Bomb!"

                Her last conscious thought was pushing Brennan into Agent Perotta in an attempt to get her to safety in the master bathroom.  Suddenly she was overtaken by darkness as an explosion came from the digital alarm clock.  The full force of the explosion hit her upper back and right side, deflecting most of the flame and shrapnel from the others.

                 Peyton instinctively grabbed Brennan from Sparling and pulled her away from the blast using herself as a shield.  Their bodies and the anthropologist’s pillow made contact with the dresser before going down.

                Shaw heard her friend yell before feeling a massive force knock her backwards into the wall in the hallway across from the master bedroom.

* * *

                Pelant threw his right arm in the air in triumph. "Yes! Yes! Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!"

                He watched the explosion break a bedroom window, sending glass into the front yard. For a moment, Christopher looked like a child at Christmas. When the blown out shards landed, the man started laughing hysterically.

                "All for you, Agent Booth. You've messed with all my plans for you, but this will definitely keep you distracted for a while."

                He tilted his head to the side.  "I do admit I regret blowing up your partner…I'm sorry, I mean your wife, but you knew the rules and you broke them. I could kill you next, but that wouldn't be much fun. You are going to be saved for last and with you gone, I will finally….finally, have my father's unconditional love"

                He turned to his bulletin board of pictures of people from the FBI and Jeffersonian. Suddenly he exploded and hit the board. "FUCK YOU, AGENT BOOTH!" 


	24. Confusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay folks...Christopher Pelant strikes again. Will Booth, Brennan and the Jeffersonian-FBI gang be able to come up with a strategy to take down this nut job?

_Booth sat by the bedside, slowing suffocating by the quiet of the room. He took her hand and squeezed it before putting it to his lips with a sweet kiss. Taking a few moments to pull himself together, he got up and slowly walked out of the room. His feet led him to a door, which he opened to the greeted by the people he called family._

_Hodgins and Angela were sitting on the right with Cam and Arastoo next to them._

_Wendell, Fisher, and Finn stopped talking and turned to him. Nearby Clark stood up and stared at the agent._

_On the other side of the room, Max and Russ stood at attention before moving quickly over to where Booth was standing._

_Seeing Booth's silence and pain, Max took the initiative. "Booth, what happened?"_

_Booth shed a few tears, hitched his breath, and exhaled. "She's gone". Booth moved slowly to a chair, sat with a look of defeat, and put his head in his hands. After a moment, he looked back up. "Damn you, Pelant!"_

* * *

** JUNE 28 **

                Booth woke up with a start and covered in sweat, followed by Brennan, who immediately put her right arm around her husband.

                "Booth…the same one?"

                He finally got his breathing and heart rate under control. "Yeah, Bones."

                Brennan watched her husband with concern. The events of the last four days had been….surreal to say the least.

                One person with minor injuries.

                One person who incurred more trauma later on.

                One person dead.

                And then there was her. She escaped with only a fractured arm, sprained ankle, and a minor concussion. Booth said the fact she was not more seriously injured was a miracle. She said it was because of the pillow she held. Brennan didn't believe in miracles as she thought of the explosion.

                ' _If there are such things as miracles, why did she have to die_? _'_

                "Booth, I will talk to the doctor about coming today—"

                "Bones, you heard the doctor. You can go home later today only if you get some rest and are on bed rest for the next three weeks. If all turns out okay, then you can go to work, but I can't take you into the field."

                Brennan got mad. "Booth!"

                "Bones, I can't and you know why."

                She knew he was right, but it didn't make things any easier as she looked at the white gold band on her left hand. Yesterday they made the announcement through her publicist that they were married. After what happened, they didn't give a damn anymore as Pelant would go after them either way.

                "I'm scared, Booth. I always have your posterior. What if I'm not there to help you?"

                Booth took a minute and then forgot about his nightmare as he started laughing. "Honey, that's ' _have my back'_  and I will have several excellent federal agents."

                "No one that I am familiar with." Melancholy crept in for a moment before continuing. "How do I know if you will be safe?"

                Booth saw the worry in his wife's eyes and shifted in the small bed so he could look in her eyes. "Bones, as God as my witness, I am taking Pelant down and I am coming home to my family."

                "Booth, there is no God to witness this."

                "Bones, there is a God, I will get the son of a bitch, and I will be coming home to you and our family when this nightmare is over. Now, I have to get around so I can get you a real breakfast from the diner and make a stop before leaving for Hagerstown."

                "Is he going to go to the service? When he came by yesterday he looked so…lost Booth."

                "He will be when I go get him, Bones. I don't care if I have to throw him in my SUV and buckle him in. If he doesn't go, he'll regret it for the rest of his life."

                He kissed his wife before grabbing the suit hanging by the door and entering the hospital bathroom.  Once again, he was grateful for the fact they were in the VIP wing and got a full shower instead of the makeshift shower in the other patient bathrooms.

                A minute later, he got under the hot water and let it soothe his back, which he felt after spending nights with his wife in her hospital bed. As for the dull pain in his soul, no relief in the world would let him escape the events of the last 72 hours.

_***/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*** _

** JUNE 24TH 5:07 PM **

                Booth was with Cullen, Sweets, and Hacker in the conference room discussing the final results from the plane crash. Each voiced their suspicions that it was Pelant through a Trojan Horse virus, but without evidence they were stuck.

                The phone rang and Hacker answered it. "Nancy! I told you we were not to be disturbed. One more interruption and you're fired."

                The Assistant Deputy Director hung up the phone in a show of authority. "Now, back to what we were talking about."

                Before he could open his mouth, the secretary ran to the conference room and opened the door. "Agent Booth, sorry to interrupt you—"

                "Nancy, you're fired."

                Nancy turned back to Booth. "There was an explosion at your home, Sir."

                Hacker's face turned red as all four men stood up. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

                "Because, Mister Hacker, you cut me off and hung up the phone."

                Booth grabbed his jacket before he and Sweets ran out of the conference room. When only Cullen and Hacker remained in the room, the Deputy Director turned to his subordinate.

                "As soon as we know what happened, you and I will be having a chat, Andrew. Count on it."

* * *

                 Booth and Sweets arrived at the house in record time. Out of the corner of his eye, the senior agent saw a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance before leaving with its sirens blaring. The men got out of the car and ran to the house, but were stopped by Marcus.

                "Marcus, who was taken away? What the hell happened?"

                "Doctor Brennan, Agents Shaw, Perotta, and Sparling were injured by a bomb from looks like to be from the master bedroom."   Marcus inhaled to hold back tears. "EMTs said the first one to go was critical and probably won't make it. They sent them all to St. George's --"

                The technician didn't finish his sentence before Booth and Sweets got back into the SUV and hauled ass away with their siren going.

                Both men sat in the SUV not wanting to voice their thoughts or think about the one Marcus was upset about. Unable to contain himself, Sweets got his phone and dialed. When he got the voice mail, he left a message.

                "Olivia, it's Lance. There was an explosion at Agent Booth's house and I know you were going to pick his wife up, but I just want to make sure you're okay. I'm sure you are in one of the rooms waiting for the doctor to look at you but call me when you can okay? I'm with Booth on the way there now."

                He hung up the phone and ignored the angry expression he felt from Booth.

                As for the senior agent, his thoughts were momentarily taken off his wife as something Marcus said sank in.

                ' _What the hell was Agent Perotta doing there_... _Fuck it! I have more important things to worry about it.  Please God keep Bones safe. I have two children who her….I need her.'_

                The two men remained in silence as they sped through Washington D.C., arriving at St. George's University Hospital’s ER less than ten minutes later. Booth raced to the desk and whipped out his badge. "Agent Seeley Booth. My wife Doctor Temperance Brennan was brought in with injuries from a bomb earlier."

                The nurse looked to him and dreaded her next task. "Yes, sir, Doctor Haverbush will want to speak with you. I'll call him right now."

                After she finished her phone call, she gestured to the men to have a seat. Booth couldn't sit but stood nearby.

                Sweets got the nurse's attention.  "Excuse me, ma'am, what is the status of Special Agent Olivia Sparling?"

                "Are you with the FBI also?" She asked before Sweets gave confirmation.  “Agent Sparling is currently having an ultrasound. When she returns I can ask the doctor if she can have visitors."

                "Thank you, ma'am."

                An anxious Booth walked up to the desk. "What is the status on Agents Shaw and Perotta?"

                Before she could tell him, a fiftyish year old man came out of the ER doors. "Seeley Booth?"

                He ran to the man. "I'm Seeley Booth. Where's my wife, Temperance?"

                "Let's talk inside."

* * *

                "….her heart stopped in the ambulance. Her chest trauma was too severe and we were unable to revive her."

                They got to a room that had a closed door that the doctor opened. "She's in here, Agent Booth."

                Stunned, Booth walked into the trauma room and saw a figure with dark hair on the table with her face towards the wall and feet facing the door. He could see electrode pads connected to her chest and various bloody bandages on the floor. The smell was an unmistakable mix of burned flesh, antiseptic, and death. As he got closer, he was horrified by what he saw.

                There were horrific burns on the right side of the body with patches of white skin. He saw wounds on her neck and shoulder. The right side chest area had a wound the size of a baseball that resembled the exit wounds he saw from homemade shrapnel.

                ' _His Bones….oh not his Bones.'_

                As he got closer to the left side, he saw something on her hand that didn't look right. Bells went off as he rushed over and looked on her hand. When he saw what he was looking for, relief washed over him, followed by dread.

                "Doctor Haverbush, this is not my wife!"

                It took all of thirty seconds to convince the doctor, who rushed and made a phone call. Booth's ear perked up when the doctor exclaimed surprise.

                "I will tell him, thank you." Doctor Haverbush said before hanging up the phone.  "Agent Booth, after your wife's ultrasound, they will be doing a closed reduction on her left arm. She is also being evaluated for a concussion and a sprained ankle."

                "Why is she getting an ultrasound?"

                The doctor walked to Booth. "Because tests showed that she is pregnant."

                Booth stood in shock, forgetting the dead woman in the room. "P-P-Pregnant?"

                "Yes, we need the ultrasound for age of the fetus, though the OB/GYN on duty estimates six weeks. It seems your wife had a large pillow break her fall during the explosion, plus she was shielded by the decedent and another one, saving her from more serious injuries."

                Just then, both realized there was another issue with the deceased in the room. "Agent Booth, do you know who this woman is?"

                The agent picked up the hand and examined it. He forced himself to look at the face, which had burned patches along with a couple of wounds from shrapnel.  He felt sick when he confirmed his worst fears.

                "Yes, Doctor, I do."


	25. The Aftermath Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay folks time to find out who was a victim of Christopher Pelant's attempt on Dr. Brennan. Who feels guilt? Who feels devastation? What will Booth and Brennan come up with next in their fight against Pelant?

                Sweets walked back in the ER with a bounce in his step. He was so relieved that Olivia was going to be okay. He hoped the ultrasound came out all right, but it didn't matter. She was going to be just fine.

                The nurse he was following led to a room. When he went in, he saw Doctor Haverbush and Booth standing together as if waiting for him.

                "I'm sorry, I was told that this was Olivia's room." Sweets said as he was closing the door.

                Booth inhaled, dreading the task ahead of him. "Sweets, I'm so sorry, but Olivia is dead."

                Sweets felt slapped in the face. "No she's not. I was told when we got here that she was having an ultrasound and they would come get me when she was ready for visitors."

                Booth led him to a couch in the room. He sat on the coffee table across from it. "Sweets, when the EMTs got to the scene, there was a lot of confusion.  See, everyone in the bedroom had dark hair, including Sparling for a recent undercover assignment. Her ID was found next to Bones and in the chaos of the moment, they thought she was Bones and that Bones was…..Agent Sparling."

                Sweets' composure started to crumble. "How the hell do we know that this isn't Doctor Brennan or Agent Shaw, or even Agent Perotta? I heard she was there, why I have no idea, but how do we know for sure?"

                "Because…..Agent Shaw was found in the hallway and she’s being treated for a concussion and a dislocated shoulder. I wanted to be sure, so I checked on Agent Perotta's status. I was able to identify her before she went into treatment for the severe burns on her leg.  She had patches of burns that were not blocked from the bomb because….listen, she was readily identifiable."

                Booth almost said  _'because of Agent Sparling'_  but caught himself before he pressed forward. "Agent Spar-Olivia also had a temporary tattoo on her left hand from her undercover assignment. Her hand sustained little damage and I saw the tattoo. Bones is the one getting the ultrasound, Sweets."

                Sweets' shock gave way to realization as he felt tears in his eyes. He knew that Booth would never lie to him. As he felt the tears fall, a pair of strong arms wrapped around him.

                Booth saw a few people look into the room through the small window by the door. At that moment, he didn't give a shit who saw him hug Sweets. All he cared about at that moment was that the young man was devastated and needed him.

* * *

                 A short time later, Booth was following a nurse down a short corridor to his wife. When he got to the right room and opened the door, it was like manna from Heaven.

                Brennan was in bed with her eyes closed, left arm in a temporary splint, and right hand protectively over her abdomen. When her ultrasound results came in, they had to get the OB/GYN on duty for any assistance during the procedure and change the protocol.  The doctor said he could have ten minutes with her before the nurse would come in and prep her.

                Booth quietly closed the door and could only stand there and stare as he thanked God for having friends concerned enough to help Bones see the truth when he couldn't tell her, for granting her the courage to take the final step with him, for having her in his life when his son would need them both more than ever, for having her survive the bombing in their bedroom, and for their baby surviving the blast.

                He knew they were not out of the woods yet, so he stopped at the chapel and prayed for their baby before coming to see his wife.

                "I know you're there, Booth."

                He came out of his thoughts and saw his wife was looking at him and smiled when he saw she wouldn’t take her right hand off her abdomen.

                "Come here, Booth."

                He pulled a rolling stool over to her bed, sat down, and took her in.

                One bruise on her cheekbone and another on her right temple, along with cut above her eyebrow repaired with stitches. Her left arm was splinted and lying on the bed prone. His eyes drifted towards her abdomen and the emotions he kept in at her close call finally released as tears came down his face.

                Brennan pulled him towards her as he laid his head on her stomach and cried. She felt helpless as she could do nothing but rub circles on his back and comfort him with words such as "We're okay, Booth…..the baby's safe….."

                When she said  _'the mighty hut is going to be fine',_ it lifted him out of his funk. "Bones, I don't give a fuck about our house. We can always get another house. I won't be able to get another you. I thought earlier that I lost you for good. They thought you were Agent Sparling—"

                "I know, Booth." Brennan whispered.  "When I was having my ultrasound, the tech answered the phone and gave my name as Olivia Sparling. I went to correct her, but when I heard her say my name, I relaxed as much as I could since I was still feeling the effects of the concussion. My local had wore off at that time where I had my eyebrow sutured."

                Brennan had tears pooling in her eyes. "When we were done the tech left me so I could go to the bathroom, which I insisted on doing myself. I was nauseated, but not crippled as I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

                Booth laughed in spite of himself. His laugh died down when he saw the sadness in his wife's face. He squeezed her right hand to let her know it was okay to continue.

                "She left the door cracked and while I was….finishing up…I heard her talk to someone. They said that there was a fatality and they thought it was me, and you had to identify me."

                "Gossiping little harpies."  Brennan said.  When she saw Booth's surprise, she started her tangent. "I do understand some popular vernacular, Booth. Harpies come from Greek mythology, meaning—"

                Booth knew he needed to head her off at the pass. "Never mind, Bones. Finish what you were saying, please."

                Brennan had the tears she held back fall. "Booth, she pushed me out of the way of the bomb. She pushed me into Agent Perotta, who then covered me as we hit something hard before getting to the floor. I-I think it was the dresser."

                The anthropologist wiped tears from her face. "Agent Sparling took the majority of the bomb's impact. She died to protect me and our baby."

                Booth took his wife in his arms as she cried. He shed a few more tears himself as he realized the sacrifice made by the agents in the bedroom with Bones. As each of them came down from their emotional moments, Brennan turned to her husband.

                "Booth, how is Sweets?"

                "Devastated, Bones."

                "Our baby duck is going to need us."

                "I know, Bones. He does and we definitely will be there for him."

                Booth thoughts collected into one. ' _You fucked up by hurting Sweets, Pelant. Another reason for you to go down'._

* * *

                 An hour later, he left his wife's room as she received a visit from Angela and Hodgins. He told Brennan he had to question the two surviving agents and she warned him to not lose his temper. He snickered at that conversation as he walked to his destination.

_"Don't worry, Bones. Calm as a cucumber."_

_"Cucumbers are vegetables, Booth. They don't—"_

_"It means I won't lose my temper, Bones."_

                When he got to the first room, he opened the door and felt he was intruding as he saw Genny in her bed admiring and smelling an eclectic bouquet while Wendell watched her with a smile.

                Her left shoulder was in a sling and there were a few bruises on her tear-stained face. Booth admired Wendell's restrained patience and the flowers he knew for a fact put a dent into the intern's meager checkbook. He recognized a couple of them and the significance of them.

                ' _Atta Boy, Wendell.'_  he thought to himself.

                Seeing that neither one acknowledged his presence, he knocked. Startling the two people in the room, he moved into the room. "Sorry to break up the party."

                "It's okay Agent Booth." Genny said.   "Wendell was visiting me and brought me these flowers."

                She couldn't describe how she felt at that moment, but she knew that she had to put that part aside now. She was an FBI agent involved in a case involving the death of a fellow agent. She needed to do it for Olivia.

                "Nice job, Bray."

                Seeing his hockey teammate get red in the face with embarrassment, Booth decided to let him be. "Wendell, did the lab find anything yet?"

                Wendell was dreading this part. "Yeah, Booth. We identified the shrapnel….it's human bone. Hodgins has some labs running. He's here with Angela visiting Doctor B since Angela was here for her OT."

                ' _Human bone used as shrapnel?'_. Booth felt his insides turn cold and prayed it was stolen from a grave and not another victim.

                He turned to his junior agent and knew what she was struggling with at this moment.  After debating what to reveal, he sat down on a nearby stool and moved on the opposite side of the bed.

                "Agent Shaw, you're not alone. You're feeling loss, anger…..and guilt now."

                When she turned to him in surprise, he continued. "I had the same feeling when my spotter was shot when I was in the Army as a sniper.  I was his superior, his partner, and his friend.  For years, I blamed myself for what happened to him. I kept thinking about how I could have prevented it. Eventually I realized two things.”

                Booth took a breath.  “First, playing that game only killed me a little more each time I did it. It took me almost dying in an explosion on a naval ship to understand that."

                When he saw he had her attention, he continued. "Then I realized that I had to put the blame where it belonged…to the asshole who shot him."

                Shaw only continued to stare at him, in awe as he was able to put into words what she was feeling.

                "Shaw, you nor Agent Perotta did anything to cause her to die. Sparling was there because I asked her to pick up my wife from the airport. You came along for the ride. Agent Perotta had her reasons, whatever they were. If it wasn't for the actions of you and two other agents, Bones may be dead right now."

                "I didn't do—"

                "Agent Shaw, you were badly injured from being thrown almost ten feet into a wall.  You were barely conscious and you were somehow able to dial 911 from your phone before blacking out. Agent Sparling pushed my wife out of the path of the blast. Agent Perotta took Bones from Sparling and covered her as they were blasted into our dresser and to the ground. All three of you did what you were trained to do as FBI agents."

                Wendell could only stare as he heard Booth's last comments. He didn't realize how close Genny was to dying in the blast and as much as he hated to say it, was grateful that it was Olivia lying in the morgue right now. He became more determined to show her he was not a guy to run at the first sign of trouble like Danny's father.

                He also realized at that moment he did not merely have feelings for her, but that he was in love with her. He wanted more, but didn't want to lose her friendship. If that was all he could have, he would accept it.

                ' _If Agent Booth can wait for Dr. Brennan, I can wait for Genny'_. His thoughts were interrupted by Shaw speaking.

                "Agent Booth, if I was closer to Olivia, maybe she—"

                "Shut up Shaw! Her instincts, your instincts, hell even Perotta's instincts kicked in when the time came. That is what makes a true Federal Agent stand out from the wannabes."

                Booth realized he was getting away from his main point. "Shaw, the point I was originally trying to make is that you are not to blame for what happened. The only one to blame is Christopher Pelant. When you are out of the hospital, I need you to help me take that little shit down. Not just for my family, or the public, but for Olivia Sparling as well. Her death can't be in vain. Can I count on you?"

                Shaw felt a weight off her shoulders after Booth's talk. "Yes, sir, I will be there."

                "Good."

                Booth got up and as he observed them, he could only think of a time years earlier.

                A hospital room after a bomb in Bones' refrigerator. His severe injuries exacerbated after leaving to rescue Bones from a dirty agent. She ditching her date and spending the night with him instead.

                ' _Hopefully Wendell doesn't have to wait as long as I did, but he will wait for her….at least do a better job than I did"_

                Genny inhaled to hold back fresh tears she knew were forming. "How's Sweets?"

                Booth knew she would ask at some point. "Crushed. He insisted on going to see Agent Sparling and I couldn't talk him out of it. I am going to get him and give him a ride, probably to Hodgins and Angela's since our house is still a crime scene, before I talk to Agent Perotta."

                He inhaled before continuing. "Shaw, what happened when you got to my house?  Where does Agent Perotta fit in here? I didn't want to bother Bones with it after everything today."

                 "Well, sir," Genny said before grabbing Wendell’s hand as she moved to leave. "Agent Booth, can Wendell stay?"

                Wendell felt his insides explode. ' _She's holding my hand and wants me to stay with her. Wow!...wait, what the fuck am I saying. She's in the hospital because a nut blew up Booth and Dr. Brennan's house and her best friend died. Still…._ '

                "Wendell!" Two voices yelled at him.

                He came out of his thoughts. "Are you sure, Genny?"

                "Yeah, Wendell….I am.  Please."

                After Wendell sat down, he took her hand again slowly and when Genny tried to yank it out of his, he held it tighter. The young woman gave up the fight as she relaxed. "When we pulled into your driveway…."

* * *

                 A short time later, Agent Booth knocked on the door.

                _"Come in."_

                Andrew Hacker was speaking to Agent Perotta, who was in bed with her leg in traction due to burns. She had a black eye and her left arm in a sling. When she saw who was in her room, her eyes got big and he recognized the look as panic.

                "Agent Booth, I was about to debrief Agent Perotta on what happened earlier. How is Temperance?"

"Bones is fine. She's getting some sleep." Booth said before turning to the younger agent.  “Assistant Director, do you mind if I talk to Agent Perotta?  I'm going to be awake for a while and I want to thank her for saving my partner's life."

                "Of course, of course." Hacker said.  _'If Booth is here, I can go see Temperance. She needs someone more refined…like me'_  "I'll check in with both of you tomorrow."

                When Hacker left, he sent a text to Angela giving her a heads up.  _'She and Hodgins will take care of Hacker.'_ he thought with a smile.

                When done, he looked at Perotta, who had a small sheen of sweat on her brow. Putting a smile on his face, he walked over to her bed. "Agent Perotta, thank you for what you did for Bones. Because of you and Agent Sparling, she was saved from the blast."

                Perotta thought about Agent Sparling and felt sadness with anger. ' _I hated the know-it-all, but she was still a fellow agent killed in the line of duty' If it can happen to her, it can happen to any of us, including me_.'

                Shaking off her sadness, she put her attention back on her supervising agent.  "Yes, I know, Agent Booth. Assistant Director Hacker told me what happened."

                Booth saw genuine sorrow on her face and decided to give her an inch. "Thank you, Agent Perotta."

                Perotta was beginning to relax. "Agent Booth, I will admit I didn't get along with Agent Sparling…..but, she still was a fellow agent. No matter how I felt about her, I will do what I can to help get the bastard. Also, let her family know I'm sorry."

                _'She's getting an inch, but not a foot'_.  Booth said to himself.  “Of course.  I'm going to head back to Bones' room. I'll come by in the morning."

                Booth got all the way to the door, but suddenly turned around. "Agent Perotta, I almost forgot. I hear you like to dress up as my partner."

                All the blood from Perotta's face drained. ' _Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!'_

                Booth walked towards her. "I hear you also like to put earrings in my bed and break into my house."

                He saw the sweat start to pour down her face. When he got closer, he grabbed a nearby chair and moved it to her bedside.

                "Agent Perotta, let's have a talk."


	26. The Aftermath Part 2

** JUNE 25 - 4:00 AM **

            The man stood outside the entrance he was directed at.  His partner knew that every morning at this time, a local diner down the street delivered an order for coffee and donuts.  When he saw his target, he walked up to the man.  “The coffee and donuts, right?”

            “Yep.  Where’s Gloria today?”

            “Left early.  They sent me down to get it.”

            “Cool.”  The delivery guy said before giving the large box to the other person.

            The man set the box down, walked up behind the delivery guy who was at his van, and quietly slit his throat.  Quickly, he dragged him into the blind corner as directed and left him.  Hurrying back, he placed eye drops in a particular coffee before taking the order back inside and to the charge nurse on the floor.

            Running back down, he put the dead man into the van and moved the vehicle to the main parking lot before rushing back.  Using the ID card his partner gave him, he took the earmarked set of stairs up through the hospital.  When he found the correct floor, he opened the door and found the room he was directed to find. Using the ID card again, he gained entry into the small supply room.

* * *

            Five minutes later, he opened the door slightly.  When he saw no one, he came out wearing a set of scrubs and put the ID badge on that he used to open the door. Walking around the corner, he observed the agent guarding the door drink the coffee that he gave the charge nurse earlier, right on schedule.

            It wasn’t long before he saw the FBI agent double over with stomach cramps and run down the hall to the restroom.  He saw the nurse he was flirting with snicker before looking back at her IPhone as the other was napping.  Quietly, he walked over and entered the room.

            There she was…Temperance Brennan. The bitch helping the monsters who killed his family. His partner promised he could have fun with her before he did what he needed to do.

            Moving quickly, he added all the monitors to the object his partner said to do and placed it on the floor. When satisfied, he injected her where he was told to do it in her arm. When done, he unlocked the brakes and moved the bed. When he saw the coast was clear, he moved the bed to the elevator past the nurses' station, where the nurse continued to play with her iPhone as the other one was now gone.

            As the elevator door closed, the agent got out of the bathroom and returned to his post.

* * *

** 4:45 AM **

            Genny laid in her hospital bed wide awake in thought as she fought to control her fury.

_'Why did Perotta get to live while Olivia died? How fair was it that an agent who always thought the best of others and was on the fast track to success gets killed while an agent who in the last couple of years managed to alienate everyone with her brown nosing and nastiness_   _survives?_ '

            Unable to relax, she sat up and felt a wave of dizziness. When it passed, she got off the bed, moving gingerly as she was still in pain. Then she headed to confront the person she blamed for her misery.

            Booth was in the small hospital bed with Bones spooning her. He tried to sleep in the cot they gave him, but both were unable to sleep without the other. He put his left hand on her hand as both were on her abdomen. He woke for a moment as he thought about his latest plan to get Pelant. It had to work. No way could he resist this trap.

            It took her about ten minutes to get to the room down the hall from her. She saw Agent Ted Thompson outside the door. Knowing what a prick he was, she eyed him before going on in, but he stopped her.

            "No one goes in, Shaw."

            "Get out of my way, Thompson."

            He eyed the female agent with disdain. He was one of the few female agents he was unable to get into bed, so he treated her like the piece of trash he considered her. "I said no one goes in." he said with a smirk.

            "Get out of my way Thompson, or I will tell Agent Booth about how the rumors about Doctor Brennan was, what was it, ' _an easy fuck'_  got around the bullpen last month."

            Knowing she had the asshole over a barrel, she pushed the taller man out of her way. Fighting nausea from the motion, she opened the door and saw a void where the bed was supposed to be.

            Seeing the object on the floor hooked up to the monitors, she left the room and hurried as much as possible to the nurses' station and called Doctor Brennan's room. "Agent Booth…..it's Shaw….Perotta's gone.

            A white van arrived at a gate closing off a driveway. The driver hurriedly got out and opened the gate to his property as he meant to be back a while earlier. When he got to the house, he opened the back door and smiled at the crumbled form lying there. He saw ripped and shifted bandages that covered up the back of her right leg. He also dried blood and bruising on her inner thighs from their 'pit stop'.

            He pulled her unconscious form out of the van and took her inside through the outside basement doors. He dumped her on the ground, turned around and was greeted with his partner.

            "Did you get Doctor Brennan?" Christopher Pelant asked.

            "Yes, sir, she's right here." He said.  “She’s right here.”

            Pelant looked but suddenly looked furious as he looked at the form on the ground. He pulled a long metal rod out from behind him in his right hand before walking towards him. "Mr. Reynolds?"

            "Yes, Christopher?" Zane Reynolds said with a smile. 

            His excitement changed to shock when he saw Pelant's proximity and the item in his hand. He only had time to grab the other man’s t-shirt sleeve before the bang stick hit his stomach. He fell to the ground like a lump of wet laundry, his hand clinging to a piece of a ripped shirt.

            Pelant wiped the tissue and blood from his face, not noticing the rip in his clothing. He saw who was on the floor and was not happy. He was a man also under a strict timeline, which Reynolds changed with his late arrival, giving him little time to dispose of the young man or the agent.

            "I guess I will have to move some things to my….'headquarters.'" He said with a laugh. "Better get things together now and take care of the disposal."

            When the door was shut, Agent Peyton Perotta slowly opened her eyes. In a fog, she observed where she was and the amount of danger she was probably in.  Unfortunately the searing pain in her leg from the burns, along with the pain in her thighs and abdominal area was stronger as it overtook her before she fell unconscious again.

* * *

             “How the fuck does an agent disappear with you as a guard outside her door, Thompson?!"  Booth yelled at the agent outside Perotta's room. "You were put there to protect her while we were disguising her as Doctor Brennan to smoke out Pelant."

            "I got sick, sir and had to shit—take care of things."

            "When did this happen?"

            "Around four a.m. I'm sorry, sir but I can't help it if I had to get sick. I sure as hell can't do it out here."

            "I don't give a damn why you left your post. You will be facing the disciplinary committee. Get the fuck out of my sight!"

            Thompson's eyes spewed anger, but he was silent as he slunk away. Booth turned to Agent Shaw, who was sitting in a nearby wheelchair. "Shaw, why aren't you in your room? Why did you come here?"

            "I wanted to speak to Agent Perotta."

            "Why, Shaw?"

            "I just had to."  Genny said vaguely.

            Booth sighed. "Agent Shaw, I know you need someone to blame, but Perotta is not the one to blame."

            "Yes she is. That bitch should have died, not Olivia."

            Booth knew she was grieving, but enough was enough. He got down until he was eye level with her and spoke with deadly calm, startling Shaw.

            "Agent Genevieve Shaw, I won't hear you say that again. No agent should have died yesterday.  No agent should EVER die. I know you and Perotta are not fond of each other, but she is still a fellow agent. Agent Perotta showed compassion for a colleague last night. One that she plainly stated to me was not her favorite, but she knew her priorities and was honest. I know bullshit when I smell it."

            Booth knew he had to get the woman in front of him past her anger if she was going to be of any use to him. "Agent Shaw, an FBI agent has been kidnapped by Pelant or someone he influenced because she was a decoy for Bones. The only agents I want assisting me right now are ones who are not self-destructive and can be a team player.  At this moment, you're not it."

            He looked to the agent standing by the nurses' station. "Agent Harris, please take Agent Shaw back to her room."

            "But sir—"

            "Shaw, I don't have time for your pity party. I have to find Agent Perotta before it's too late."  Booth said before turning to another agent.  “That van they found in the parking lot with the body?  Did the nurse ID the vic?”

            “Yes, sir.  He’s their usual delivery man.”

            “Interview these nurses and get whatever info they can give you, including a sketch of the guy delivering the donuts and coffee this time.  I’m going to my wife’s room to view the security footage with Ms. Montenegro from the Jeffersonian.”

* * *

             Booth was watching Angela’s laptop with her and a now awake Brennan. When they got to the footage from 4:00, three pairs of eyes were on alert. Brennan noticed it first.

            "Booth!  There, coming from the stairwell"

            They observed a young man messing with a lock and going into what was determined to be a storage room.

            "There's Agent Thompson with the runs." Angela pointed out at 4:08 with a smile.

            They observed the figure enter the room before the artist made a few clicks and made the hidden camera in Perotta's room full size.

            "Angela, can you get it closer to his face?"  Booth asked.

            "Sure" Angela clicked her mouse.

            When the final picture was enhanced, the agent's blood drained from his face. "Oh shit!"

            Brennan saw her husband. "Booth...who is it?"

            "It's Zane Reynolds."

            Angela spoke next. "Wasn't that the kid from Crystal Creek who we thought killed the FBI agents several weeks back?"

            "Yeah, it is. Angela, can you pull up his address? I want to make sure it's the same one."

            "Sure." Angela started to type with both hands, but had to stop as her right could not keep up with her left fingers. Momentarily frustrated, she pushed it down as she typed with one finger and her left hand. "Here it is, Booth."

            Booth grabbed the phone. "This is Agent Booth. I need a tac team on standby at the Hoover to go to Virginia."

            Angela and Brennan waited as he gave the address and final instructions. He hung up the phone and turned to the women.  "Bones, you need to be careful."

            "Booth I'm fine."

            "Bones, Perotta was a decoy to see if Pelant would come after you. The plan was to catch him since I had an agent at the door. None of us anticipated he would use another surrogate to take Perotta or for her to leave the hospital." He inhaled. "Bones, he was coming for you. I won't let Pelant get you like he got her. Be careful, okay? I need to concentrate on getting this kid. Worrying about you and the baby is not something I can afford to do at this time."

            Angela's eyes widened like saucers. "Baby? Bren, you're pregnant?"

            ' _Shit!_ Booth thought to himself before kissing his wife good bye. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Honey."

            When Booth left the room, Angela turned to her friend. "Sweetie…you're having a baby?"

            Brennan got tears floating in her eyes. "Yes, Angela I am. About six weeks. We weren't going to tell anybody yet."

            ' _The night you were in the hospital in the SUV.'_  she thought to herself.

            "Oh Honey, I am so happy for you." Angela took her in a one arm hug and then slowly brought her right arm around.

            Brennan felt the hug and got overjoyed as well. "Angela, you're hugging me with both arms!"

            "Yeah, it's not much, but I'm getting there Sweetie. I'll show you." Angela held her arm out as she lifted to just below her breasts. "I can wiggle my fingers a little also."

            "Oh Angela."

            "Hey, enough about me. I'm going to be an Auntie again!"  She said before pulling her best friend into another hug and both cried tears of happiness for the other. 


	27. The Aftermath Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey folks this chapter may be shorter than the others. I couldn't find another good spot to end this one, so I divided it up into two chapters.
> 
> I am appreciating the reviews I am getting on this story. For the few who asked why Sparling was killed instead of Perotta, the answer is simple. I didn't change my story mid-stream, I always planned on getting rid of Sparling. I saw that Perotta had chemistry with the others and I have plans for her in a possible future story, maybe even romance?
> 
> Sparling...well, she always got on my nerves.
> 
> If anyone has suggestions I am welcome to reading them as I have several more ideas for fanfics in the future. However, I do have to follow my muse. I hope you enjoy what it tells me to write and that you keep the reviews up. They help a lot! They're my brain candy.

            Perotta woke up to a repulsive but familiar smell. As she lifted her head to gather her surroundings, she could faintly hear a land line phone ringing in another room.  Looking around, she found the source of the odor.

            Zane Reynolds, arrested several weeks earlier because he was suspected to have murdered two FBI agents, was lying in front of her. His entire abdominal cavity was gone.  What she recognized as human tissue and blood was all over, including on her as she noticed her arms covered with a sticky substance.  Looking further, she saw that his hand was clinging to a small piece of material.

            The events of the last few hours were a fog with only images. The pain in her abdominal area and thighs gave her suspicions, ones that she was unable to put into words. She was pretty sure she remembered Reynolds speaking to Pelant.  She knew his annoying voice anywhere, even as groggy as she was.

            The images she remembered took over her thoughts. She looked back at the body and began to be filled with anger as her suspicions began to take hold. "I would—I would have killed you slowly you son of a bitch, but Pelant beat me to it."

            Suddenly the room felt very warm. She tried to move but pain shot through her entire body as her abdomen throbbed horribly and her leg stung.  Looking down, she saw what looked like dirt and particulates inside of her burn oozing onto on a dirty carpet. Fighting the urge to vomit from the pain on her leg, she looked around at her surroundings.  To her right, she saw a small heat register.  Two seconds later, she saw faint smoke followed by heavier smoke seeping in.

            "Shit, I have to get out of here."

            Perotta tried to get up again, but the pain was intense.  Bracing herself, she moved again, crying tears of pain and agony as she adjusted herself. Thinking quickly, she pulled the material out of Reynolds' hand and made the tightest fist possible around it. When she was centered to where she could move, she started to crawl her way towards the glass door ahead.

            "God, if you get me out of here, I will do better. I was just sick of being shit on by people, so I became a bitch, but I don't want to die. I won't die because of Christopher Pelant."

            She could only inch slowly as she made her way to the sliding glass door that seemed a mile away. Grabbing a broom that was nearby, Perotta tried to poke at the glass as she attempted to hold her breath. She was able to get one hole made at the bottom of the glass before being overcome by the smoke.

* * *

             Pelant arrived back at his place annoyed. His plan to use Dr. Brennan as bait for Agent Booth was ruined by incompetent help.  However, he was able to remedy that and get rid of another FBI agent at the same time. His match on a phone trick was old-school but he thought it was very clever. It would give him a head start before the cavalry would come in, but all traces of him would be destroyed by then. All that would remain of Reynolds and Agent Perotta would be ash and bones.

            He put down his bag, but then looked and saw the rip in his t-shirt. Realizing where it came from, he laughed.

            "That loser Zane must have ripped it before he became hamburger. Oh well, soon it will be nothing more than a crispy mess. It's too bad…I really liked this shirt."

            He looked at a calendar but got frustrated as he couldn't remember why he had July 4th circled in red.  After a moment, he got up and looked at a picture.

            "That's why I had it circled. I can't believe I forgot that Dad's coming home. It'll be great and it's a national holiday. Temperance Brennan and her little bundle of joy will be dead so that will be number…four and five. Booth will finally understand why you don't cross me. I'll kill him of course, and then my father won't have a choice but to accept me. Once my father sees there's no one left to hold onto a pedestal but me, it will all be okay. He'll love me."

            He put the photo down. "Time for Plan B." He slurred slightly.

            He started to walk but his left leg totally gave out and he fell. The paralysis was getting worse and now hit the left side of his face. He noted at times his speech started to slur at times.

            Taking a deep breath, he got up and made himself slowly walk while dragging his left leg to his console. He opened up the monitors until he found the Brennan-Booth house and smiled with glee.  Time to get things in place.

* * *

             Booth and the tac team approached Zane Reynolds' house from the woods out back. When they got closer to the house, they saw a simple farm house with a white van in the driveway.

            "Move but watch for booby traps. This kid hates the government."

            The squad moved closer and when they got to the front door, they announced themselves.  After waiting ten seconds, Booth knocked again. "Zane Reynolds, this is the FBI. Come out with your hands up or we're coming in."

            After no response, the agents broke the door down and came in as a phone rang by the couch.  Examining it from a distance, Booth saw it was an old rotary phone.  As another agent walked over to check it out, Booth saw a match taped to the phone, smelled the gasoline, and alarms went off.

            "Agent, get away—"

            Suddenly the phone was on fire as a trail of flame shot up surrounding the agents quickly. The agent at the phone was caught in its path as he caught fire. Booth ran over grabbing an afghan from the couch covering the injured man as another agent appeared with a fire extinguisher. Two more agents broke the windows in order to get air into the room before they were all caught in an inferno.

            The agent with the fire extinguisher was fighting a losing battle as Booth ordered the men out. When they got outside, Booth thought he heard a faint sound of glass breaking. Looking in that direction, he noticed that there was a sliding door nearby with the bottom covered with bushes. Following his gut, he took one man with him after he ordered one agent to call for help and the others to search the grounds, noting the security cameras around the home.

            "Booth! Over there!" The other agent pointed out to Booth.

            There was what looked like a stick poking out of the sliding glass door with spidery glass surrounding it due to breakage. When the men got over there, they looked in the smoke covered window and saw what resembled a form crumpled on the floor covered in an article of clothing with a pattern. Suddenly, Booth remembered where he saw that pattern.

            It was a hospital gown from St. George's Medical Center.

            "Shit, that's Perotta. Look out."

            Booth took his jacket and quickly wrapped it around his arm. When he was done he broke the glass with his elbow. He moved carefully to open the knob on the inside before he and the second agent grabbed dragged her unconscious body out.

            Fire Department sirens were heard as the red trucks pulled into the driveway, followed by an ambulance. In quick time, firefighters were putting out the flame as the other agents worked to secure the scene.

            Booth checked Perotta for a pulse and was grateful to feel a faint one, trying to ignore that her gown was accidentally hiked up past her genital area.  As he pulled his jacket off to cover her, he noted the fresh bruises on her thighs.  Taking a deep breath, he shut down his emotions when he did a quick exam, noting with dread that she had no panties on.  

            His suspicions on full alert, he covered her before attempting to revive her.  "Perotta! Wake up!"

            In the distance, he saw EMTs running across the yard.  Before he could get out of the way, he heard a moan followed by a cough. Looking down, he saw her left hand slowly drop what looked like ripped material in his hand.

            ' _For her to grab this while trying to escape in her condition…it must be important.'_

            He barely had time to collect it before he had to move out of the way of the paramedics, who proceeded to access her before giving her oxygen and putting her on the gurney. An EMT turned to Booth and tossed the coat he assumed to be the agent's.

            "Going with her?"

            "Yeah."  Booth replied.  Turning to Agent Harris, he barked orders as he was running with the EMTs and Perotta to the ambulance. "Harris, you're in charge. I'll text the Jeffersonian. Get as much evidence as you can, no matter how insignificant it may seem."

            As they were all loaded in the ambulance, Booth turned to the tech in the back, who was adjusting Perotta's oxygen levels. "Where are we going?"

            "St. George's. It's the closest trauma center."

            Booth texted Hodgins and Cam to let them know they were needed at the scene. When he put the phone away, he looked again at the scrap of material in his hand. ' _There's only one reason she would have grabbed this before trying to escape.'_

            "Do you have a plastic bag somewhere I can have? Also bandage tape?"

            The tech handed him an emesis bag and the tape. Using it, Booth shoved it in and sealed it the best he could and then ripped off a piece of bandage tape and sealed the opening to the bag.

            ' _Gotcha you son of a bitch.'_

            Booth then grabbed his phone and called. "Bones, it's me…..yeah we found her….just in time…yeah I'm in the ambulance now with her. Okay, I will see you as soon as I can….love you too…bye."

            Booth put his phone away. He was beyond angry at the attempted murder of another FBI agent.  However, he felt hope for the first time in almost two months as he realized that Pelant did the one thing they needed him to do.

            Screw up. 


	28. The Aftermath Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi folks. There's one more part to Aftermath, then the story will continue to its final chapters. I've started up plans for the sequel already...thanks to your encouraging reviews. I will have another couple of short stories posted I hope in the next few weeks. As stated before, thanks for the kind words and the reviews...my brain candy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Bones...I don't think I ever will...but it sure would be nice

            The next afternoon, Booth sat in his office.  As he was trying to get paperwork he left the last few days done, he was also on speaker phone arranging repair of his house since it was no longer a crime scene.

            "So what's your estimate? That long?...That much?  So because of the weekend of the 4th it's going to take that long and that much? Yeah….yeah, I understand. Can we at least live in our house? Well, that's good to know at least. Thanks, pal."

            He hung up the phone. “' _Your homeowner's insurance policy should cover the damage_ " Booth muttered in a mocking high pitched voice. "Bombs usually aren't covered with those, dumbass!'

            Realizing he was talking to himself, he turned his attention back to Perotta's report on her kidnapping. When questioned, her recollection of the events was piecemeal.  She could recollect hearing Pelant before passing out the first time and when she woke up and discovered the fire. The doctor confirmed later there was a hypodermic needle mark in her arm.

            The same doctor also stated that when he went to examine her, the agent became so upset she had to be given a sedative to calm her.

            Booth had the nagging suspicion that Perotta remembered more that she was telling. He remembered the bruises he saw on her legs and the absence of her underwear. He didn’t think it was a coincidence that Forensics found a pair of women's underwear crumpled in a corner inside Zane Reynold’s white van. 

            It disgusted him, but he had to push her soon. He knew she was probably traumatized.  However, while he couldn't force him to tell her what happened, he knew she needed to so he could get Pelant.  Seeing he wasn't going to get anything done, he made a phone call.

            "Sweets, its Booth.  I haven't heard from you in two days. You said you wanted to be left alone and I understand, but you're starting to worry everyone…starting to worry me. We are going home tonight and you can stay with us if you want. Call me, Sweets or else I am tracking you down. "

            "I'm right here, Booth."

            Booth looked up and saw Sweets holding a folder. He was wearing one of his death metal t-shirts, jeans, and a hoodie. He also looked like he hadn't slept in two days.

            "Sweets, come in here and close the door."

            Sweets obeyed and sat across from Booth. "I've been reading the report on the bombing at your house—"

            "Sweets what the hell are you reading that for?  Why are you at work?"

            "Because I am the FBI Profiler assigned to this case, Booth. I have a job to do."

            ' _God I forget how much he has in common with Bones sometimes, especially a talent for shoving things down.'_   Booth thought. "Sweets, I told you not to come back until the 1st."

            "I know you did, but I am needed.  Besides, all I would do is sit at home and either be smothered by my roommates or think and I don't have the time to do either."

            "Sweets, you have the right to grieve. You need to grieve."

            "I did. I saw her….I talked…I talked to her at the hospital. Now, I need to get the asshole."

            "I wanted to let you know the service is at noon tomorrow in Hagerstown. Want to ride with me and Wendell?" Booth asked.

            "I'm not going."

            Booth almost spit out the coffee he was drinking. "What? What the hell are you talking about? Of course you're going."

            "No, Booth, I'm not. I need to help with this case. I don't have time to go to the service."

            "Bullshit, Sweets."

            "What do you mean 'bullshit?"

            "You heard me, kid. None of us have time, either, but we are going to pay our respects to Agent Sparling anyway. I want the real reason you're not coming."

            "I already saw her, Booth. I'm good."

            Booth knew he was lying.  Getting up, he walked around his desk until he was sitting on the edge in front of the profiler.

            "Sweets, you are not good. Olivia was someone you cared deeply for, not just a fuck buddy.  Look at you! You haven't slept and you look like shit! You look worse than you did when you were sleeping in your office."

            "Thanks, Booth." Sweet said snidely

            "Sweets, you loved her. She was taken in a violent way and now she's dead. Trust me when I say this. Avoiding your feelings is not going to make it go away."

            "Seemed to work for you when your dad died."

            Booth inhaled the retort, knowing he was only speaking out of anger and unresolved grief. "Yeah, I blew it off at first, but I wasn't fine. Bones made me deal with my feelings of sadness, anger, frustration. I'm telling you, you need to say your goodbyes to her, see her one last time before she's gone forever. Do you want the last time you see her to be what you saw in the hospital...all covered in blood, damage, and medical smells?"

            "I said I'm fine, Booth! Get off my back!"

            Booth knew when to quit. "Okay, Sweets. Your choice.

            The agent walked back to his chair and sat down.  Taking a drink from his coffee, he changed the subject.  "By the way, we have the okay to move back into the house tonight. Luckily the damage was contained to one room and part of the hallway. Bones and I are going to be sleeping in the guest room until the repairs are done.  Emma is going to continue to sleep in Bones' office and the kids will be back in their rooms."

            "I'm glad for you, Booth, but why are you telling me this?"

            "I'm telling you because if you want to come stay with us for a few days, it's fine. You would have to bunk on the couch or man cave."

            "It's okay, Booth. I'll be fine." Sweets understood the message and appreciated it, but wanted to move on.  He got up and took the Pelant file before Booth could snag it. "I’ve got to go. I have work to do."

            Shaw appeared in the entry way and knocked. "Hey Sweets."

            “Hey.”  Sweets muttered as he walked out the door.

            The younger agent watched him for a moment before turning to her supervisor. "Agent Booth, you wanted to see me?"

            Booth put away his concerns for Sweets for a moment. "Yeah, Shaw, come on in. Close the door."

            When she sat down, Booth sat back. "I wanted to see how you were doing. I know you have restrictions but it's good to see you."

            "Yeah, I can't be out in the field for at least nine weeks per the surgeon. He said I can do things here in the office."

            "You can, and you will. No field work until cleared by the surgeon, all right?"

            "Sure, sir." She pulled out the folder she had. "I did the check you wanted on Zane Reynolds. There was a sealed record, but Ms. Julian was able to get it opened."

            Booth took the file from his subordinate.  “Thanks, Shaw.  What did you find out?”

            "He was arrested for sexual battery of a classmate in Loudoun County when he was 16.  The charges were dropped due to the victim dropping her complaint. May I ask why you are looking into Zane Reynolds again now that he's dead? I thought we did a check on him when he was arrested."

            "We did, but apparently when it was done it was federal only by mistake."

            "Was there a connection with Pelant?" Shaw asked, puzzled.

            "No, there's not physically, but there was computer equipment in Reynolds' house. I think Pelant pulled what he did a few months ago with Agent Samuels' daughter."

            Suddenly the phone rang. "Booth….Hodgins…what did you find?"

_"I'm glad Flynn held onto that marigold because it gave me just enough DNA to compare to this shirt piece."_

            "Hodgins."

_"It's a match. Christopher Pelant's sweat is on this piece. You got the son of a bitch. Now get him, Booth."_

            "You are the king of the lab, Hodgins." He hung up the phone and looked to his junior agent. "Pelant finally screwed up. His DNA was on the fabric Perotta gave to me when he found her."

            "What do you need from me, sir?"

            "The phone company had no record of the call to Reynolds' place, but there's got to be something out there. Comb any financial records you can of Pelant and with Zane Reynolds. Also any medical records….driving records, you name it. We've got to find him. He took Perotta because they thought she was Bones. She's the target."

            "You got it, sir."

            The phone rang again and Booth picked it up. "Cam, what's up...Bang stick, huh? That's no surprise. I'm glad the fire department got there when they did or else there wouldn't have been much to autopsy or draw DNA from. What about the other thing?"

            Booth’s face fell. "Damn. I was hoping it was just a suspicion, but now it's a fact. Yeah, thanks Cam."

            He hung up his phone and became eerily silent. "That was Cam. Pelant stuck with his M.O. A bang stick turned Reynolds' body into sirloin, but they were able to determine it went through in a upward thrust and were able to collect DNA. As for the underwear found in the van, it contained two DNA profiles. One was Reynolds."

            Genny put two and two together. "The other one was Agent Perotta."

            "Yeah."

            “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”

            “Yeah.”  Booth asked, needing to push the guilt he was feeling about Perotta down.  "How are things with you and Wendell?"

            "What do you mean, sir?"

            "Come on, Shaw. He's crazy about you."

            Genny got excited for a moment, but then fear rose in her like bile. "No he's not. He's just a friend. Plus he's been great with Danny through Big Brothers Big Sisters."

            "Shaw, I saw the flowers he gave you. They were not cheap."

            "He was trying to be nice, Agent Booth."

            "I knew a couple of them, but I asked Bones about the others. Here's what she said about them.”

            Booth pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and opened it. “The yellow rose means friendship. The pink carnation means love of a woman. The gardenia means that the recipient is loved and lovely to the giver. The lavender heather means admiration and solitude. The blue iris means faith and hope and the gladiola means strength of character."

            He folded the paper back up and placed it in his pocket. "I know for a fact that those flowers put a dent in his budget."   Before Shaw could say anything else, he put his hand up to stop her. "I'm not going to push. I'm just saying that Wendell's a good guy. He's loyal, trustworthy….a bit rash, but with good intentions. To top all that off, he's one hell of a hockey player. From what I've seen, he's a good friend to have in a pinch."

            He got up and grabbed his phone and keys from the desk. "I'm heading back to the hospital to see Bones, then I'm picking up the kids and Emma and we are going home tonight. Keep me posted, okay?"

            "Sure, sir." she said as he left his office. When he was out of view, she walked over to her desk and sat, contemplating.

* * *

             Bones, are you sure you're going to be okay tonight?" Booth was feeling less confident about staying at home as he got to the hospital.

            "Booth, I'm fine. The kids need to be home.  Hodgins and Angela have been generous, but they need to establish a pattern.  Plus Russ and Amy have enough to worry about with Hayley. I don't want to send Emma home unless absolutely necessary."

            "Why, Bones? I don't mind her being here, but you pushed Russ for her to stay here this summer when Hayley got sicker. Why?"

            Brennan took his hand. "Booth, at her age, I was abandoned and shuffled between different foster homes. Russ and Amy don't mean to, but with Hayley sick, Emma gets lost in the shuffle. I want her to have a sense of belonging before she goes back home. Do you understand?"

            Booth nodded. "You're right, Bones. I should have realized. Um, I have to tell you something."

            Brennan inhaled. "I think I have something to tell you, too."

            "You go first, Bones."

            "No, you Booth."

            "No Bones, you."

            "You, Booth"

            "How about together, Bones?"

            "Okay, Booth"

            Both inhaled and spit their news out at the same time.

_"I invited Sweets to stay with us for a few days."_

_"My publicist saw my wedding ring and knows we're married."_

            When the other's news sunk in, both reacted.

_"Again, Booth?"_

_"Great, Bones, at least she doesn't know you're pregnant, right?"_

            Bones acted first. "Booth do we have the room?"

            "No and no. He would have to either sleep in the man cave or the couch. As for the other thing, he's in denial. He's not going to the service tomorrow."

            "Booth….is he going to be okay if he doesn't go?  He was here earlier and looked so…sad.  I can go with you instead."

            "No, Bones, he needs to grieve, not shut it away with work and no you can't go. I talked to your doctor and he said you can maybe go home tomorrow evening but only to bed rest for the next few weeks as a precaution for the baby."

            Waiting for her blow up he expected, he got nothing. "You're not yelling at me for talking to your doctor before you. What's wrong?"

            "Nothing, Booth." Brennan sat for a few seconds before inhaling and continuing. "I am just realizing with all that is going on that you asking my doctor was something you did for me and I appreciate it."

            "Okay…so about our marriage. What do you want to do?"

            "Well, Booth, we kept it a secret because of Pelant, but he obviously knows now and…he's going to come after us either way, so we might as well pour the beans."

            Booth sat on the bed next to his wife and laughed for a moment. "That's spill the beans and okay, call your publicist and tell her it's all right to announce it on the six o'clock news. I'm sure she's dying to."

            "Okay, I will" Brennan hesitated for a moment, still unsure how to feel about the person in question. "How's Agent Perotta?"

            "The same. States she doesn't know what happened, but her DNA was found on the panties we found in the van with Reynolds' DNA."

            "Do you believe her?"

            "No, I don't Bones. She may not remember specifics, but at the least, she suspects what happened. I can feel it."

            "Did Mr. Reynolds have a history?"

            "He did all right. I checked the previous case and the bruising was similar. She needs to tell us what happened, Bones. If we get Pelant we can charge him as an accessory. She needs to deal with this."

            "You can't force her, Booth.  Not until she's ready but she may never be."

            Brennan thought about times at her foster homes. Someday, Brennan would have a conversation with Booth. He knew a few things, but not all of it, things she's never told anyone. ' _Someday_ '

            Coming back from her thoughts, she thought she had an idea of why Booth was so determined for Perotta to remember. "Booth, I know how you feel about justice, but you are taking what happened to Agent Perotta hard. Why?"

            "Bones, an agent was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and almost murdered by a madman. I take that personally."

            Brennan knew that wasn't the whole truth. "Booth, what happened was not your fault."

            Booth blanched as what his wife said struck a nerve. "Of course it's not my fault. I didn't do it."

            "But you blame yourself for what happened to her."

            "No, I don't, Bones."

            "Booth you do. You feel like it's your fault she was attacked because she was the one you assigned to be the decoy. You assigned her that role because she looked similar to me and because of what she did at our house, didn't you?"

            Not hearing a reply, Brennan continued.  "Booth, you couldn't have known that Reynolds was involved with Pelant or that he would make the agent guarding the room sick so he would not be outside it. Through a clerical error, you didn't know he had a history of sexual assault. Perotta made the choice to break into our house all on her own and crossed a line. Her actions needed to be dealt with. You are her supervisor and you chose to give this assignment to her, a logical choice."

            Booth knew his wife she said made sense. "I know, Bones."

            "Good. Now stop blaming yourself for what happened. She has to come to terms with it in her own way." Looking to change the subject, Brennan moved quickly. "You said that Hodgins found Pelant's DNA on the material she found."

            "Yeah, Bones. What's that thing you called his ego? The thing you said would let us get him?"

            "Hubris."

            "Yeah, his hubris…man's not so smart without his computers, is he?" He smiled at his wife. "Okay, Bones. If you promise you're going to be fine, I'll get the kids and take them home."

            Brennan reached out and kissed her husband goodbye. "Don't forget to bring me some breakfast from the diner tomorrow before you leave for Maryland. The food here is terrible."

            Booth smiled. "Yes, my dear, I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   Aaaahhh, I love when the muse lets my chapters end on a high note;)


End file.
